The Impact of Losing: Resiliency

While going undefeated can happen in sports, it is rare for most programs and impossible in life. So the impact of losing is what you make of it!

The Impact Report is about impact players. A resilient player is an impactful player. Knowing that your teammate is not going to quit mentally or physically has a great impact on each team.

As I lay out the numbers of teams with losing records, my goal is not to shame, but to highlight what kind of courage and character it takes for these programs and their players to keep showing up.

Last season, Escambia finished 1-14, Tate ended with a 5-14 record, and East Hill Christian had a 2-14 season. As the 24-25 season began, these teams have continued to struggle, with losses of more than thirty points in the opening week.

How do you bounce back, both individually and as a team, from this kind of disappointment? When support is scarce and criticism is loud, how do you find the strength to keep answering the question "did you win?" when the answer seems to be a consistent NO!

The impact of losing can tear a team apart if there is not a leader or leaders, someone who steps up and inspires the team to be hopeful, be faithful, to believe something good will come out of the experience.

Leadership can come from anywhere - sometimes it's the coach, sometimes the team's star player, and sometimes it's simply someone with a positive attitude. After Escambia's preseason loss to Washington, in a voice of positivity, Senior Shaqyia Brown's parting words to her teammates "Good job, y'all." 

Brown, who experienced last season's disappointment, could have chosen to quit. Instead, she, along with Sophomore Ty'aune English and Junior Chloe Roberson, decided to return. Seniors Demi Liu and Brianna Williams knew Escambia Girls' Basketball program's history of constant coaching changes and one or two-win seasons over the last decade, but these players chose to help fill out a roster that had only five players last season.

These are all impact players, players who, despite the temptation to quit after a loss, choose to persevere. I frown upon lying, so when Brown said "good job," was that a lie? NOPE. Escambia stayed on the court and kept trying. GOOD JOB, y'all.