Losing to Win

Loss.

It’s something I navigated a lot in my athletic career.

From a winless football season to countless losses on the wrestling mat and baseball diamond. Each loss sucked, honestly, but they were all a learning opportunity.

Let’s throw it back to my sophomore year of high school.

This 5’11” 200 pound sophomore was thrusted in to play Quarterback in the last game of the year.

My final stat line - 3/7 - 22 yards and 3 interceptions. We lost 41-0.

OUCH.

We just capped a winless season. It was a really tough season to navigate.

I also started at Quarterback for our JV team and we only won one or two games that year too.

I was also 14-19 in wrestling that year and our baseball team was a little over .500 but won a game in the playoffs.

Loss was everywhere for me.

But, that game didn’t define me. That season and year did not define me.

So, what did I learn about my time as QB1.

I learned that I wasn’ t prepared enough to lead that team that night. I hadn’t played with that team enough to really feel confident enough to lead. I hadn’t fostered relationships with the key players on the team.

That game was much louder and faster than JV. I was used to lineman and linebackers getting in my face quickly but this was different. They were on me quicker and I had to make my reads much quicker. The other team was also one of the best in the state that year, so that didn’t help!

I missed on a few plays and turned the ball over too many times. That game may have contributed to why I never became the starting quarterback my junior or senior year.

I was brought up to Varsity as a Quarterback my freshman year and never earned the opportunity to be QB1 throughout my high school career.

Did I feel like I earned the opportunity? Yes, at times I did, but that’s not how it all played out. Do I look back at my time in football and wonder how things would have turned out had I been under center? Yeah, sometimes. I also sometimes think about what my life would be like if I played another position but it never happened.

I also know that I could have done more. I could have taken the bull by the horns and lead this team during the offseason. I could have spent more time with our wide receivers and tight ends in the offseason working on routes and working on my QB game.

I was always active in the weight room and conditioning sessions during the summer but I didn’t take that extra step a leader should have. That’s maybe my biggest regret in my football career.

If I would have taken that initiative, been more intentionally focused on learning and growing my skillset as a Quarterback, maybe I would have had earned the opportunity to start.

Nonetheless, I played other positions (defensive line, linebacker, punter) and had a pretty average football career. No all conference, all state or anything close to that. Just a few jerseys in my basement and lots of memories of playing a game I love with my friends.

Wait, you still haven’t said what you learned?

That translates to my life after sports. Being a leader in the construction field, I know that I need to intentionally focus on growing and developing our team to continue to grow our business. I know I need to cultivate really tight relationships with our employees, clients, potential clients, vendors, subcontractors, etc. These are things that I struggled with during my high school career. I didn’t focus on those enough and it hurt me and the team.

Relationships are a huge part of service-type businesses like construction and that is something I’m really focusing on. How can we continue to elevate our brand and build long lasting relationships with everyone that surrounds the business? By being you, by truly caring for people and putting them first.

3/7 - 22 yards and 3 interceptions. Man, it’s hard to write those words but reflecting back on that game was “fun”? It put things in perspective for me about where I was and brought forward lessons that I hadn’t thought about in ages!

This article is also posted to my Substack: Growth. Leadership. Sports. https://growthleadershipsports.substack.com/ Follow me over there if you'd like!