Dealing with losses is hard on anyone. Whether that’s for an athlete in a game, an adult and their job or a loved one gone. I’ve been fortunate enough to not go through much loss. I have though, gone through a soccer season of so many games where we didn’t end with the result we wanted and a golf season just like that.

Reflecting on how you play after a game where you lose might be one of the hardest things besides an injury an athlete could go through, and this could go multiple ways. This is because you have to be truthful with yourself on if you gave 100 percent or not or where you messed up. Being honest with yourself is a very hard task because you want to believe you did everything you could to win but just couldn’t get the right results.

Another way reflecting could go is blaming it on your teammates or your coach. Blaming a loss on other people does nothing for you as an athlete. When you start saying that it’s other people’s fault onto why the team lost you slowly lose team chemistry. This is because your faith in each other begins to disappear, making it harder to want the drive to win for your teammates or coach. Yes, sometimes coaches make questionable choices or calls but all in all it comes down to a team’s effort as a whole.

Losing anything doesn’t feel good for anyone. It leaves one feeling powerless or sad. A loss should turn into a drive, a want, a need to win. Don’t let a loss take you out of something bigger than your individual skills. Going through tough losses with your team when you have chemistry and know each and everyone of your teammates put their heart and soul out on that field or court isn’t as bad as going through it alone.

With that being said, going through any type of loss, big or small, it does not help emotionally to keep how you feel to yourself. Other people will understand and or can help you and push you to be a better person or player.

Teams don’t win games because of one person, they win because of each other playing together.