ESPYs Host Serena Williams Shares Powerful Advice for Kids Who Look Up to Her

As always, the athlete offered inspirational reflections based on her own incredible career.

Serena Williams / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Every year since 1993, college and professional athletes from every sport come together for the ESPY Awards. The evening serves as a celebration of excellence on the field and court—an opportunity to honor and applaud hardworking sports stars.

Last night, the 32nd annual ESPYs took place at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. The evening has—over the years—seen a lot of inspirational hosts and motivational speeches. Last night was no different. Tennis icon Serena Williams served as the host for the evening, and much like her predecessors, she absolutely delivered.

In addition to some well-planned and executed jokes, her commentary included some important bits of wisdom from her own experience as a professional athlete. Particularly, the powerhouse athlete took the chance to offer some advice for the young kids who look up to college and professional athletes.

“Get up. Get off of TikTok. Work Hard,” she said on stage. “Find out how capable you are. Be great—be so great, they don’t want to believe in you. And then, be even greater.”

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While powerful in its own right, the advice was that much more meaningful coming on the back end of her new TV docuseries, In the Arena: Serena Williams. The ESPN+ show documents the athlete’s tennis career from start to finish. As with everything that Williams does, the series will surely inspire the younger generation to follow in her footsteps: to work hard and pursue their ambitions.