Maisie looked at the poster at the entrance of her school. "Our famous public speaking competition is back. Contact Coach Jack Madison in the school auditorium at 3 p.m." Maisie immediately thought of participating, but a memory flashed across her mind and she was reminded of the day when she was speaking in front of a large audience. She had forgotten her words in front of a large audience and felt horribly embarrassed. That incident kept coming back to her mind whenever she thought of public speaking, and it made her lose her confidence.
However, Maisie's friends told her to give it a try. "Just try once at least. There is no harm in meeting Coach Jack," they said. So, Maisie decided to meet Jack Madison. After all, he was one of the best motivational speakers in the state.
Maisie spoke to Coach Jack about how she was nervous about speaking in front of a crowd because of that incident. Coach Jack told her about his own experience with speaking.
"Maisie, the man who is standing in front of you now was just like you. As a fourteen-year-old boy, I had a loud and clear voice. My teacher made me give a speech in front of the whole school, but I forgot what I had to say, and I had to cut my speech abruptly. I lost my confidence. However, my teacher made me believe in myself. My teacher had said, 'Jack, just believe that you can speak and you will.' So, I am here today because I overcame my fear by believing in my abilities. If I can do it, so can you, Maisie," he said. "When you step on the stage, take a deep breath, relax, and have a positive frame of mind. Speak with confidence without worrying about the outcome," he added.
Maisie felt comforted after her conversation with Coach Jack and decided to practice regularly. She enrolled in the event and spoke with confidence and poise. That day, Maisie promised herself to never give up easily.
How do Coach Jack's actions contribute to the theme of the story?
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When Coach Jack tells Maisie his story, Maisie finds comfort in the fact that she is not the only one that is fearful of speaking in front of a large audience.
When Coach Jack shares his own experience with public speaking, he inspires Maisie to overcome her fear of public speaking by believing in herself.
When Coach Jack speaks of his success as a motivational speaker, Maisie learns the importance of finding strengths that will lead to a good career.
When Coach Jack recalls his own bad experience speaking in public, Maisie is fearful that if even the best speakers struggle, she will forget her words again.