Your performance is judged against standards of excellence. Using these standards, some performance is better than other performance. Your schoolwork is judged against standards of excellence. It is inappropriate to ask the judge to change the standards and her evaluation because of any special circumstances. It is inappropriate to ask your teacher to give you a better grade or a second chance because of any special circumstances.
Some athletes excel because of natural talent whereas others excel because of hard work.
Some students do well because they have a natural talent but other students can do well because they work hard. No matter how bad the season is going, your team must keep doing its best and finish the season. No matter how frustrated you fell doing a certain assignment, you need to keep trying to do your best and you must complete the work. Although most children would endorse the sports values in this table, many would be less willing to endorse the educational counterpart of these values. If children did endorse these educational values, they could attain higher levels of achievement.