In a game like Basketball one team has to win and the other has to accept defeat. This does not demean a team in anyway, but yes it does tell the defeating team that its time they pull up their socks and learn from their mistakes.

No matter how sweet success can be, defeat has to be equally accepted, and when you got beaten you have two choices: either lick up your wounds, and move on determined to play the next game well, or put blame on team mates, coaches or referees. Make your choice wisely!

The game of Basketball is much like the game of life, which is filled with bumps and defeats. It is your ability to accept the defeat, understand what went wrong. Practice and improve on your shortcomings and give your very best in the next game. It is a matter of pursuance and there is nothing better than to know you did your very best to win the game.

Most successful basketball players know how to accept defeat graciously, shake the winning opponent team’s hands and to persevere to win next time. Accepting defeat graciously is an art and is a part of any sporting game. It isn’t always possible to win a 7-game series for the championship. On professional level, when two teams play a game, one eventually loses, and if you are on the losing side, it is essential that you keep your heads held up high. Big names in basketball like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan had lost a lot of games, still they kept going and in the end won championships.

A nice by-product of losing is, that it shapes your character as you learn to accept defeats and think on how to improve yourself.

If you are frustrated with how you played the game, then take off your frustration out on a pillow, where you can muffle your loud screams. Sometimes in a fit of aggression a few players often lose their temper, when their adrenaline reaches a certain mark. Try to calm down! After all it is just a game and analyzing the loss is a much better way to get back to winning games in the future. Once you analyze the reason for your loss, you can work on it and get back at practicing and perfecting it as a team.

Picture credit: josh.liba • Creative Commons Attribution