One of the hardest parts of sports is handling losing streaks! It's so hard to quantify the effect that one basket, one goal, one score, and one point can have on the players, the coaches, and the whole team. We have had games where we played really solid and just didn't make enough shots and lost. We have played games where we played terrible and won. Usually, the locker room after wins and practice the day after wins are so much happier than after losses, no matter how we played.
There is a quote that says, "Winning heals everything." No matter how much we tell ourselves that the process is what matters, and play the game - not the scoreboard, and other great quotes that focus on how we play and not the outcome, at the end of the day, winning sure does cure a lot.
But sports are a lot about managing moments, and we have to be able to manage, learn from, move on from losses
Cole Anthony just got drafted by the Orlando Magic in the NBA. He went to North Carolina last year, and he came in as one of the highest recruits in the country. It looked like a perfect match - Anthony is a known winner and a high profile athlete, and UNC is one of the best basketball programs in the history of college basketball. But his year was not what many expected. He spent a lot of time out with injury, and when he did return, his team struggled to find wins down the stretch.
Here is a great video documenting his year at UNC:
Legendary coach Roy Williams gave this quote about adversity in the video:
What you can take from adversity is just how to handle it. And that is the way it is in life. When you face adversity, you can't just roll up into a fetal position and go into a corner and start crying - you have to come to play, and you have to try to get better every single.
Cole talked about playing harder and playing better when things aren't going well, and the importance of keeping hope.
Cole Anthony's father, former NBA player Greg Anthony, said that this was one of Cole's toughest seasons because it was the first time that he had to deal with collective and individual disappointment. He said that losing can be frustrating and it can take a toll.
Losing can be tough. Adversity can be tough. Be we have to fight through it all.
There will be tough seasons, and there will be bumps in the road. The key is to learn from those experiences, appreciate them, and hopefully, those experiences will help you become a better player and person.
When you are in the middle of a losing streak, ask yourself these questions daily:
1 - What I am I doing well?
2 - What can I do better?
3 - What does the team do well?
4 - What can the team do better?
5 - What is my favorite part of this game?
6 - What is my favorite part about being on this team?
7 - What has been the best memory so far this season?
8 - Who is my favorite teammate, and why?
9 - Who is one teammate I want to get to know better, and why?
Having positive thoughts can help you stay positive through adversity. Have fun, keep pushing, keep getting better.
One of my favorite Michael Jordan commercials is his, "Maybe It's My Fault" commercial. Michael says, "Maybe it's my fault. Maybe I led you to believe it was easy when it wasn't. Maybe I made you think that my highlights started at the free-throw line and not in the gym. Maybe I made you think that every shot that I took was a game-winner, that my game was built on flash and not fire. Maybe it's my fault that you didn't see that failure gave me strength; that my pain was my motivation. Maybe I led you to believe that basketball was a God-given gift and not something that I worked for every single day of my life." This is my favorite commercial because it made Jordan real. MJ was such a super-hero to so many of us, but this commercial made me realize that Jordan was not born the great basketball player who ever lived - he worked hard to become the greatest basketball player who ever lived. He tried, he failed, and he tried again. His failure fuel...
A lot of coaches don't really sleep. When they finally stop watching film, stop analyzing the last practice, stop preparing for the next practice, and stop looking at their budgets, and grades, and fundraising, they close their eyes and that is when the thoughts just don't stop. - I should have done this ... - I should have done that ... - Could I have done this better? - I should have done that better ... - I hope __________ knows I love them and just want what's best for them ... - I hope that _________ knows that I care about their son/daughter and I just want what's best for their kid ... We close our eyes at night, but it's hard to get to sleep and to stay asleep. We never stop thinking about the game and our kids. And the crazy part is, we never stop thinking about them and caring about them and worrying about them when they are gone. If you have a coach that cares for your athlete and invests in them, thank them and appreciate them. If they can ...
Coaching and leadership can be a lonely, draining journey. People often ask much more of you than they are willing to give, and you rarely feel appreciated for going above and beyond for all the people in your life. It can feel like you are giving and giving and giving while everyone around you just takes and takes and takes. BUT REMEMBER WHY YOU DO IT. Remember the coaches you had when you were growing up and the impact that they had on your life. Remember that these kids and their families NEED you. Your parents need someone they can trust to help raise these kids and teach them both to love the game and life lessons through sports. Remember that these kids you coach will have memories of their time with you - good and/or bad. Remember that the coaches you are leading and mentoring both look up to you and are watching you. You are training the next generation of coaches and leaders. Whenever I feel drained, I remember that because I am called to coach and lead, I am also called to se...
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