"GOOD, better, best. We will never rest until our good is better and our better is best.”

This war cry was left echoing in the ears of students at St Therese's Catholic Primary School in Monto last week, as Australian softball pitcher Sandy Holden, who is busy preparing for a bid to make the team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, took time out of her schedule to visit the school.

"I was taught that war cry at an athletics carnival when I was in primary school and it's stuck with me,” Holden said.

"The idea of always doing your best and striving to be the best you can be underpins every part of my life and sporting career.”

Holden told students that each and every one of them had a passion and something they were good at.

"I encouraged them to always do their best and never give up,” she said.

"If everyday I do my best in whatever situation I find myself in and don't give up, then anything can happen.

"There's no guarantees I will succeed in achieving my goals, but I'm guaranteed to fail if I don't try.”

Holden said she had faced the same barriers many athletes faced, such as injuries, illnesses and balancing her sporting career with full-time work as a school teacher.

However, the most significant challenges she faced was bouncing back after having each of her children, in 2015 and 2017.

"Now the main barrier I face is balancing being a mum, an athlete and working,” Holden said.

She has a message of hope for aspiring female athletes.

"Choose a sport you're passionate about, a sport you love and have fun doing, then do your best every day and don't give up,” Holden said.

"Just because someone says something can't be done doesn't mean they are right.

"You know what you are capable of and can do, so do it.”

Tokyo will be the first Olympics during Holden's international career where softball has been included on the program, and it will be the last for the 31-year-old.

"Tokyo 2020 is the only chance I will get and I intend to do everything I can to give myself the best opportunity to reach my goal,” she said.

St Therese's principal Monica White said students were still talking about Holden's visit.

"My teaching staff and I were extremely impressed with how well Sandy spoke and the messages she delivered to the students,” she said.

Holden's visit was part of the Olympics Unleashed program, a partnership between the Australian Olympic Council and the Australian Government to have Olympians and aspiring Olympians visit classrooms to inspire and motivate students to be the best they can be, whether on the sporting field, at school or at home.

The program has so far reached 40,000 students across more than 250 schools since beginning in September 2018.

Schools can register for the program here.