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Ten Things a Wrestler Should do after a Tough Loss
2017-10-21
Ten Things a Wrestler Should do after a Tough Loss
Ten Things a Wrestler Should do after a Tough Loss
I will fully admit, I wasn’t the best wrestler around at any point in my career. There were plenty of wrestlers out there better than me. But there is one thing I can say of my career, that I am pretty proud of. Only one wrestler beat me twice, once in first grade, once in high school. I took some pretty tough losses in those first twelve years of competing, but I always learned from the matches. I had a family of wrestling coaches who helped me overcome self-doubt, who helped me with strategy,
1) Stand up quickly. You may have been beaten in the match, but you can’t let them know they beat you inside. You can’t let them know the loss broke you mentally. You can’t let them know they won the battles and the war.
2) Shake hands like you did at the beginning of the match. Even though the match is over, and the other wrestler’s hand will be raised, the handshake means a lot. The handshake at the end of a tough loss is the handshake of the beginning of the next match, the more important match. It is a match with yourself, as you grind in the room looking to get better.
3) Leave your headgear alone. Your headgear didn’t lose, so don’t throw it. Seriously. Just don’t. Unless part of your plan is push-ups. Lots of push-ups. Your loss is not as important as the team. Losing a team point is selfish.
4) Stay with your team. Your practice partner needs you. Your teammates need you. Your loss can be erased on the scoreboard with the way you support your team. Be present. Push them to a different fate.
5) Listen to your coach. They have been in your shoes. They don’t want to hurt you any further. They only want you to grow. Blocking them out slows the growing process.
6) On the ride home, replay the match in your head. Find ways that you could improve. Find the little things that would have changed your fate. Wrestling is about doing all the little stuff right. Focus on the little stuff.
7) Find your mirror when you get home. Look at the wrestler looking back at you. Ask him if he did his best. Be honest. Most of the time, the answer will be a resounding, yes! If that is the case, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You left it all on the mat and you lost. So be it. Good job.
8) The next day of practice after a heartbreaking loss is the most important practice of the year. You must find yourself again. You must drill to win. You must work on the little things. Your practice partner is ready to be your foe. Use them to win the next time.
9) Forget the loss. It’s over. Your record is blemished. You can’t let it be the beginning of a tailspin downwards. You are better than that. Instead, use the loss as motivation. Use the loss to realize that you are beatable. Work until you are unbeatable.
10) The next time you wrestle the same opponent, remember the score starts out 0-0. Wrestle to win. You’ve trained for this moment. You’ve sweat for this moment. You’ve prayed for this moment. Leave it all out there again. You may win. You may lose. No matter the outcome, rinse and repeat. Good luck this season to all the warriors stepping on the mat.
I will fully admit, I wasn’t the best wrestler around at any point in my career. There were plenty of wrestlers out there better than me. But there is one thing I can say of my career, that I am pretty proud of. Only one wrestler beat me twice, once in first grade, once in high school. I took some pretty tough losses in those first twelve years of competing, but I always learned from the matches. I had a family of wrestling coaches who helped me overcome self-doubt, who helped me with strategy,
1) Stand up quickly. You may have been beaten in the match, but you can’t let them know they beat you inside. You can’t let them know the loss broke you mentally. You can’t let them know they won the battles and the war.
2) Shake hands like you did at the beginning of the match. Even though the match is over, and the other wrestler’s hand will be raised, the handshake means a lot. The handshake at the end of a tough loss is the handshake of the beginning of the next match, the more important match. It is a match with yourself, as you grind in the room looking to get better.
3) Leave your headgear alone. Your headgear didn’t lose, so don’t throw it. Seriously. Just don’t. Unless part of your plan is push-ups. Lots of push-ups. Your loss is not as important as the team. Losing a team point is selfish.
4) Stay with your team. Your practice partner needs you. Your teammates need you. Your loss can be erased on the scoreboard with the way you support your team. Be present. Push them to a different fate.
5) Listen to your coach. They have been in your shoes. They don’t want to hurt you any further. They only want you to grow. Blocking them out slows the growing process.
6) On the ride home, replay the match in your head. Find ways that you could improve. Find the little things that would have changed your fate. Wrestling is about doing all the little stuff right. Focus on the little stuff.
7) Find your mirror when you get home. Look at the wrestler looking back at you. Ask him if he did his best. Be honest. Most of the time, the answer will be a resounding, yes! If that is the case, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You left it all on the mat and you lost. So be it. Good job.
8) The next day of practice after a heartbreaking loss is the most important practice of the year. You must find yourself again. You must drill to win. You must work on the little things. Your practice partner is ready to be your foe. Use them to win the next time.
9) Forget the loss. It’s over. Your record is blemished. You can’t let it be the beginning of a tailspin downwards. You are better than that. Instead, use the loss as motivation. Use the loss to realize that you are beatable. Work until you are unbeatable.
10) The next time you wrestle the same opponent, remember the score starts out 0-0. Wrestle to win. You’ve trained for this moment. You’ve sweat for this moment. You’ve prayed for this moment. Leave it all out there again. You may win. You may lose. No matter the outcome, rinse and repeat. Good luck this season to all the warriors stepping on the mat.