We have all heard the saying or quote, “Winning isn't Everything,” or "If Winning isn't Everything, why do you keep Score?”
Winning and Losing are essential parts of sports. Some may think that winning isn't necessary, but sport is about competition, and I’ve yet to meet any young athlete who goes out to participate.
Whether you win or lose, there are valuable lessons we can learn from both.
Winning builds confidence and team cohesion and gives a sense of accomplishment. Losing teaches athletes to be resilient and determined and gets them to focus and pay attention to the finer details in their game.
But with Youth Sports becoming more organized and competitive, some coaches, players, and parents have made winning their sole focus.
A “Win at all Costs” mentality had been adopted.
This can lead to Negative actions that could trickle down to athletes who believe that you need to color outside the lines to earn the win.
With a “Win at all Costs” mentality, coaches, players, and parents forget the importance of the process.
The process is making mistakes, learning from them, and coaching athletes on the fundamental skills needed for the sport.
When you focus on the short-term wins, you sacrifice the process, which is not beneficial for the long-term development of that athlete.
We must broaden the definition of winning and get athletes to focus on putting their best effort forward and doing things correctly.
As athletes continue to grow and move along their sporting journey, they will win and lose
But no matter what the outcome is, remember the lesson you can learn.
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