“I just wasn’t the fastest person today. I’m looking forward to the next race.”
It’s easy to shine when you win. But the test of true sportsmanship is how you react when you don’t win. Even when your complaints are legitimate, it’s best to keep your cool and focus on how fortunate you are to be able to participate and excel in your sport. Then you can learn from the experience and apply it to the next race.
"Impeccable" -- Freddie Couples by Mimi Stuart Live the Life you Desire
“I never thought about losing, but now that it’s happened, the only thing is to do it right.”
~ Muhammad Ali
The most inspirational moment at the National Water Ski Championships last week for me was seeing a top-seeded Men’s Slalom skier display amazing sportsmanship after having his entry gates called on his first pass. Rather than showing anger or complaining, he shrugged it off, knowing he would do better next time.
That’s not to say that he isn’t very competitive and didn’t really want to win the tournament. But once the call was made, he was able to handle himself with integrity, rather than displaying defeat and aggravation — and this at the age of 20!
To me, this young man’s ability to maintain perspective about his performance was at least as impressive as the 180-foot ski jumps and multiple back-flip trick runs exhibited at the site.
by Alison Poulsen, PhD
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, lost almost 300 games, missed the game-winning shot 26 times. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. That is why I succeed.”
