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How Losing Creates Winning
By Coach Randy Brown

With all the emotions and drama that go into a game, the result becomes paramount. How coaches handle the outcome is very important to the mentality and perspective of the team. Good coaches operate with a balance that can handle a close loss or a close win.

The fact that losing creates winning is a difficult concept to grasp for the average fan. Those coaches who have worked the trenches know exactly what this means.

Losing brings out a lot of true emotions and beliefs from coaches and players. Tears, anger, and frustrations are common in losing locker rooms. At times, apathy and finger pointing are part of this emotional moment. Losing brings true character out in the open for everyone to see. Coaches can express things that they later regret saying due to the volatility of the moment.

Conversely, winning typically has the opposite effect. Winning can serve as a phony cover for players and coaches. The difference in one point can take us from the depths to celebration. When this happens it is easy to lose sight of the quality of our play in general. Many times our teams play poor and win. They can also play very well and end up with an "L". It is crucial that the coach see through this and acts accordingly.

The best coaches in the sporting world are those who can balance winning and losing. These coaches are not fooled by the score or the outcome and truly judge their team on its performance on the floor.

So how can losing create winning? Here are 8 ideas you can use:

1. Take the win or loss for exactly what it is, then move on. Analyze quality of play over the win or loss.

2. Evaluate the performance of your players and team in general just as you would in a loss. This is very important because coaches typically do not scrutinize their team as much in a win.

3. Look objectively at the stats to see what they tell you.

4. Look at yourself and how you react after winning. What message does your reaction send to your players. Do the same exercise for losing.

5. Watch the tape of your game the same, whether you win or lose. A lot of coaches watch tape of losses much closer and in greater quantity than wins.

6. Remember, the goal is to use games to learn lessons, build character, develop toughness, and improve.

7. Do not make too much out of a win AND be careful not to harp too much on a loss.

8. Use the previous game as a point of reference when preparing for the next one. These are powerful lessons that can help a team grow in a positive way.