You can Learn From Losing, but Winning Sure is Fun

It's tough to watch your kids work and practice hard and not reap the rewards of a victory. That struggle ended for my son's 5th-grade football team on Sunday night. Despite some great efforts, his Marion Metro Youth Football team had failed to break through in the win column this season. It's not because they hadn't worked hard or practiced enough. It wasn't because they didn't want to win. Sometimes the real test in sports is persevering through the trials and tribulations. It makes winning that much sweeter.

When the clock read zero last night with the final score Marion 19, Praire 13, the players erupted in celebration. It was as if they had just won the Super Bowl. They tackled each other and jumped in each other's arms. They sprayed each other with their water bottles as if they were champagne bottles. I know the phrase "act like you've been there before" might apply, but could you blame them? They're 11 years old after all!

I know I've said before that you can learn a lot from losing. I still stand by that statement. If you don't taste the bitterness of defeat, you don't really know how great winning feels. So to the team from Praire who had to watch our kids celebrate, you'll have to forgive them. Winning takes some getting used to.