Basketball 28 Feb 2010 03:57 pm
Message to Players
To anyone who has dealt with a tough loss, in any sport, the days after that loss are by far some of the toughest days an athlete has to experience. Be it a loss in an otherwise meaningless pickup game in the summer or in a state tournament game that could decide your season, a loss is a loss, and the feelings of despair, hurt, and regret are the same.
Also in play is the period of questioning that all athletes go through having lost in a game important to them, where they put everything on the line to emerge victorious. A series of “what ifs” pop into your head, making the loss that much more difficult to forget. What if I made that shot? What if I made that pass? What if I ran a little bit harder? What if I played with a little bit more intensity? These are all questions that accompany a loss, but, now that I have experienced it, I can honestly say that the only question that matters is “what now?”
What constitutes a successful athlete is that they can bounce back from a loss and do everything in their power to prevent themselves from ever again experiencing that feeling of anguish and depressing period of questioning. A successful athlete makes adjustments. They find it within themselves to work even harder in practice and put in that much more intensity and determination to succeed.
So, this is my message to anybody out there who has ever experienced a difficult loss, or to those who have not yet, but eventually will. Do not dwell on these “what ifs”. Focus instead on the “what now” and you will naturally become a better athlete and a better person.
on 28 Feb 2010 at 8:57 pm 1.slamdunk said …
This is what all the good athletes go through. In fact, I think that good part of their greatness is their ability to quickly pick themselves up. Expect more be more challenges ahead, but don’t ever despair. It’s important to remember that the athlete’s career is not just about what they achieved; it is about the obstacles they overcame to achieve it. You’re doing the right thing — put it down to experience and move on stronger.
on 01 Mar 2010 at 12:26 pm 2.hoopsjunkie said …
This is true whenever you stumble, not only as an athlete, but also as a human being. When you are down, you need to be able to turn your head upwards and see the light, turn your frustration into resolution, make it become the seed of your future success. That’s what this article is about and that’s why I loved reading it.