Stacey Lapira: When Your Score Doesn't Go To Plan

What do you do when the score you worked so hard for doesn’t turn out the way you hoped...and you feel completely devastated? In this powerful and deeply honest episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Stacey Lapira—former teacher, prison officer, and now fitness coach and gym owner—to explore what happens after disappointment, and how one moment doesn’t get to define the rest of your life. Stacey openly shares her experience of missing the ATAR she expected, feeling embarrassed, withdrawing from friends, and questioning her own intelligence. But what follows is a remarkable story of courage, course-correction, and learning how to back yourself, even when the path ahead feels unclear. Stacey’s journey, from criminal justice to working in maximum-security prisons, teaching, and eventually building a thriving fitness business, reminds us that growth often comes from trying, reflecting, and choosing the courage to begin again. In this episode, we explore: • What it’s really like to feel devastated by results and how to move forward anyway • Why changing direction isn’t failure, but often the beginning of finding your fit • The power of having one person who believes in you when you can’t yet believe in yourself • Why success is built through lived experience, not linear pathways • How parents can support young people by offering perspective, patience, and belief - not pressure This episode is a must-listen for: • Parents supporting a child after disappointing results • Young people feeling unsure, stuck, or “behind” • Anyone questioning whether they’ve taken the right path Because one score, one decision, or one setback was never meant to define you.