Winning is not the only option. In any contest, there will be winners and losers. If you considers the final score to be the only measurement of winning, then you are most certainly setting yourself up for a number of defeats in which you left with only a bitter feeling.
One of my jobs is to oversee high school sports. The attitude that I stress with our players and coaches is to win graciously and lose with dignity and poise. In sporting contests there is always a winner and loser in regards to the final score. Losing must be accepted without excuse or complaint.
If our players and coaches have given it their all, then they should hold their heads up. If, while losing, they have taken cheap shots, made excuses, not played as a team or committed other unsportsmanlike acts, then they should recognize their mistake and vow to do better next time.
In high school sports, if we only focused on winning the contest, we would oftentimes be losers. If, however, we teach our students to find personal satisfaction in the way they played, then we have suceeded. Perhaps the player had a great individual game, or they executed some difficult plays well as a team.
No matter how good a team is, 99% of the time there is a better team somewhere. That is a fact of life. Play hard until the whistle blows, then check the scoreboard. When you are beaten by a better team, you must learn to acknowledge that they are indeed better than you in this particular contest. It takes pride and confidence to say "I was beaten by a better opponent." Excuses are signs of weakness.
Win with graciousness, lose with dignity, but be prepared for either...that's why we play the game.
One of my jobs is to oversee high school sports. The attitude that I stress with our players and coaches is to win graciously and lose with dignity and poise. In sporting contests there is always a winner and loser in regards to the final score. Losing must be accepted without excuse or complaint.
If our players and coaches have given it their all, then they should hold their heads up. If, while losing, they have taken cheap shots, made excuses, not played as a team or committed other unsportsmanlike acts, then they should recognize their mistake and vow to do better next time.
In high school sports, if we only focused on winning the contest, we would oftentimes be losers. If, however, we teach our students to find personal satisfaction in the way they played, then we have suceeded. Perhaps the player had a great individual game, or they executed some difficult plays well as a team.
No matter how good a team is, 99% of the time there is a better team somewhere. That is a fact of life. Play hard until the whistle blows, then check the scoreboard. When you are beaten by a better team, you must learn to acknowledge that they are indeed better than you in this particular contest. It takes pride and confidence to say "I was beaten by a better opponent." Excuses are signs of weakness.
Win with graciousness, lose with dignity, but be prepared for either...that's why we play the game.
Facebook
Twitter