In competitive sports, failure is an inevitable part of the game.
Sophomore Juliet Carter dances at Archer and her dance studio The Artist Collective. She has been dancing for 11 years and competing for nine. Carter said the way athletes handle setbacks can shape their future skills, mindset and experiences.
“Losing is difficult because you work hard [and] you put all your effort and time into something,” Carter said. “When you don’t see the reward, it can be demoralizing and hard to rebound.”
Last school year, junior Ari Borstein was on the varsity volleyball team and was a pitcher for the varsity softball team. She said that while losing can feel difficult, winning all the time can lead to complacency, which makes it harder to stay motivated.
“The only way [athletes] really grow is by losing,” Borstein said. “If they’re always winning, then they won’t learn from mistakes or push themselves to improve. Losing gives you the chance to change, reflect and come back better.”
Lucy Bohn is the only freshman on Archer’s varsity tennis team as a USTR-ranked tennis player. This season, she said she has faced tough opponents in league matches and lost to older, more experienced players. She said these moments have taught her how to reflect, reset mentally and improve her preparation for future matches
“I always try and find what I did wrong, work on that, then come back to prove myself wrong,” Bohn said. “[Losing] helps me grow because I can reflect on myself and know that, at the end of the day, I did my best.”
Borstein encourages athletes who struggle after a loss to remember that improvement is constant and that they’re still part of the team. She said that everyone is always growing, no matter their experience level.
“Just remind yourself that everyone, no matter how experienced, is always improving,” Borstein said. “You’re not alone, and you’re always, no matter what, part of the team.”
In 2021, Simone Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist, withdrew from several Olympic events due to mental health challenges experienced the “twisties.” The “twisties” is a powerful mental block where gymnasts lose their sense of space in the air. Her decision sparked global conversations about the importance of mental health in sports.
Biles said in her public statement that she began by dialing back her training load to focus on fundamentals, movement and rebuilding the trust in her body she lost. In addition, she started prioritizing her mental health by attending weekly therapy sessions and using visualization techniques.
This emphasis on mental resilience is echoed by Carter, who believes determination is the most important quality in an athlete.
“Even when you’re discouraged, you have to keep showing up,” Carter said. “That’s what builds mental toughness.”
When Bohn loses a tennis match, she said she can better recognize her weaknesses and strengths, which pushes her to improve. Losing helps her recognize both her weaknesses and strengths, pushing her to improve. Instead of dwelling on failure, she focuses on what she can learn for next time.
“Losing helps me grow because it gives me a chance to reflect,” Bohn said. “If I gave my best, I can be proud of that. If I didn’t, I know what to work on next time.”
