The Last Word

By Samuel Kohlhase | Posted: Monday May 18, 2026

Morning boys, my name is Sam Kohlhase, and I have the privilege of serving as one of your cultural prefects this year.

During your years at Otago Boys', there will be more times than you’d think when you doubt yourself. Quiet moments, like before a game, before an exam, before speaking up, or simply lying in bed at night, wondering if you’re even capable of becoming the person you want to be.

From my own experiences, I’ve learnt that doubt can often come from fear. Fear of looking stupid, fear of getting it wrong, fear of what others might think, or fear of failing before you’ve even started — and the list continues. This fear can become overwhelming and completely change your perspective on challenges, making seemingly simple tasks feel impossible.

Think of it this way: if I challenged you to walk a straight line on the ground, you wouldn’t even think twice before doing it. You’d just do it with full confidence. But if I challenged you to walk that same straight line one hundred metres in the air, all of a sudden, it feels one thousand times more challenging. Your legs would become shaky, and you might not even want to attempt the first step, because the fear of falling would make you second-guess your abilities. The line didn’t change. The task didn’t change. Only your mindset did.

And this is what doubt does.

It takes something that you are completely capable of doing and makes it seem like something that is out of reach for you to accomplish. When in reality, you’re still the same person, with the same ability to walk that line — whatever the line may represent in your life.

For me, I still remember being a small Year 9, first deciding to give rugby a go. It was something that I really wanted to try, but I was still nervous leading up to it. I didn’t know whether I would be able to play well enough, how I would compare to everyone else, and I barely knew how to play. Despite that, I trusted myself, crossed the line, and still showed up.

I wasn’t the best at the start, but that decision led to me continuing to play rugby for the next four years, giving me opportunities to travel, meet new people, and create strong friendships. All of these things I would never have experienced if, in Year 9, I had given in to doubt and decided to stay in my comfort zone instead of trying something new.

So, as you boys go through this term — a term of courage — I challenge you all to back yourselves fully in whatever you do. Whether that’s trying out a new sport or activity, deciding to train or study harder to reach the next level, or speaking up when you normally wouldn’t, have the courage to block out that doubt and bring your focus back to the line.

Not how high you are, or “what if you fall?”, but just focus on the next step in front of you. Block out the noise. Trust yourself. And commit to the

task.

In true OBHS fashion, I will end with a quote: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky