If you don’t keep score, how do you know who won?
In my scorebook, we “won.”
There was some confusion on our basketball team’s WhatsApp group yesterday after coaches, parents and players were all posting about what a great game it was. Then there was the simple question from someone who wasn’t there, “Wait a minute, did we win?”
I keep a different scorebook. I judge differently than others. I live on a different scale, I compare using different criteria.
I congratulated the boys more than I have in the past. I was more enthusiastic about their play–because they truly played better. They rose to the occasion. They gave it their best. They had fun.
I should probably put a disclaimer on my coaching office, “I don’t care if we win or lose.”
I probably won’t be scouted by the university basketball teams. Oh wait, the universities here don’t have basketball games.
The main reason I’d want to win is because:
- The kids like it,
- It’s more fun to celebrate,
- It gives them confidence for the next game,
- We learn what we did right,
- We move onwards and upwards in brackets and playoffs.
You find that you have peace of mind and can enjoy yourself, get more sleep, and rest when you know that it was a one hundred percent effort that you gave – win or lose. Gordie Howe
But losing has it’s advantages too:
- You learn more when you lose,
- You’ll do better next time–or at least give it more of an effort,
- We don’t rest on our laurels and get sloppy and lazy,
- You take yourself (and your sport and everything else) less seriously.
Win or lose? I don’t really care. They played hard, had a blast and left that hall proud–and dead tired.
