Winning and losing gracefully
Blaming the refs is small thinking. A victim mentality will limit what you’re able to accomplish in this life.
My son’s basketball team played in the semifinals of the end-of-season tournament this weekend. The game was INTENSE. They were down 2, 1.9 seconds left. In bounds pass, break, and a shot…. just missed. The kid was devastated.
One of our coaches consoling him. Brutal.
But what are youth sports if not a tool for teaching kids to lose gracefully, with class, respect, and dignity?
With most of the kids emotional, the winning team’s coach came over to speak to our team. He told them they had nothing to be upset about, that they played a great game and worked hard.
Incredible example of how to WIN gracefully too. For my son’s team, sure, but also for the winning team, who saw their own coach immediately go out of his way to show class and sportsmanship to the opposition.
Still upset, our team held a team huddle to reflect on the season. The kids from the other team waited for the right moment and then came over to tell everyone good game again.
Good sportsmanship is contagious.
Let me be real for a second to show this isn’t all “toxic positivity.” Kids will be kids. Walking to the car I put my arm around my son and told him he played a great game. He scoffed and said, “But we had to play that team AND THE REFS.” (There were a few close calls that didn’t go their way.)
I looked him in the eye and said “NO. Do NOT do that.”
Complaining like that is not a good look. It accomplishes nothing. It changes nothing. You can be upset about how things went, sure, but you control how you respond to it. Blaming the refs is small thinking. A victim mentality will limit what you’re able to accomplish in this life.
Focus on what you can control.
Is there a systemic referee issue that can be addressed by writing a persuasive letter to the board? Then um… sure, do that.
Otherwise congratulate your team on a fun year, hit the gym, and get ready for next season.