"The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."
Iconic sports reporter and broadcaster Jim McKay so eloquently summarized the game of sport (and life) with that one simple phrase.
In life, it as an absolute truth that you will savor the sweetness of victory and dine at the buffet of defeat. You will win some and you will lose some. Knowing that, doesn't remove the pure joy from the win or the bitter disappointment of the loss. The two are intertwined. It is the loss that makes the win work though. The low turn of the roller coaster after a loss is followed by the high ride back up.
If you love winning more than hating losing, you are missing the point.
Both the loss and the win carry powerful magic that is undeniable.
I have coached and played thousands of games over my lifetime. I have lost plenty and won my share. They could certainly fill a book.
Two of the most memorable wins involved coaching my sons in football.
Two magical seasons.
The first was my oldest son's flag football team in 2010. A group of kids who didn't know each other when the season started went on to form a bond and win the championship.
The second was my youngest son's 2016 6th grade season. They went undefeated and it was punctuated in the final game of the year beating an undefeated team at the last second on a goal-line stand.
Winning and losing. Losing and winning. Thrill and agony.
It's all a part of the game.
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