How to Bounce Back After a Loss

Losing is hard. No need to sugarcoat it. We train so hard during the season and off-season, and it’s not fun when we aren’t rewarded with a win. Losses can hit even harder if it’s a playoff game or a championship. People can say, “Oh, it’s just a game,” but us athletes know that it’s much more than that. It’s a culmination of hours and hours of preparation, forcing yourself to go to practice when you can barely move your body, saying no to other plans because you have practice, and sneaking in extra workouts to be as prepared as you possibly can. When you lose, it hurts. But, I’m here to give you some advice on how to bounce back after a loss, whether a big or small one, so you can keep going and not let the negative feelings take over you.

Be Objective and Focus on What You Learned

I give you permission to let yourself sulk for a little bit after the game. There is so much adrenaline pumping from the lead up to the match and the match itself, so emotions can be very high after a loss. But, I challenge you to not let the negative emotions leak over into the next day. You can sulk for the rest of the night, but get some sleep, wake up, and be as objective as possible after that. Perhaps the next day you can watch some video and focus on what went well and what you can improve on. Was there anything you could have done differently? Tactically, emotionally, or during your preparation? Is there something you definitely need to work on during the next week of practice? Even if you played the best game of your life, there is always something that you can learn from a loss.

Use Losses As Motivation

The feeling after a loss is not fun. I know I don’t like losing. So, use it as motivation the next week of practice or during the offseason. My sophomore year of college, we unfortunately had a lot of injuries and changes the last few weeks of our season, but still did well and made it to the conference finals. We lost the championship match and didn’t get to go to the NCAA tourney. It was a terrible feeling. Instead of complaining and making excuses, I used that feeling as motivation during the off-season. When things got hard in the weightroom or on the court, I remembered how it felt to be so close and lose that I would push even harder to make sure that NEVER happened again. It worked, because we won the conference tourney the next 2 years. Even if it’s not as big of a loss as the final championship and just a loss during the season, you can still use it as motivation during the upcoming week to work even harder and find solutions to any problems you discovered reflecting on the previous match. 

Focus on What You Can Control

Volleyball is such a team sport and we are constantly dependent on others. Sometimes our teammates may be struggling, sometimes the opponents aren’t hitting at us, or sometimes we don’t get to touch the ball as much as we would like. It really can be a game that’s out of our control. However, there are still many things we can control. Our effort, our attitude, how we prepare, our communication, our hustle, how well we know the game plan, our routines, and focusing on the basics are all things we have full control over. While you may think it’s not “your fault” if you lose, it is a team sport and you have to reflect whether you did everything you could to the best of your ability. 

Another part of this is that we don’t always play well. We could have many opportunities to score during a game and just flat out play poorly. Even the best of the best struggle. This is another important time to focus on what you can control. Take a deep breath, be in the present moment, and do the best you can to establish a good rhythm. Focus inward on what you can control, and do the best you can with what your best is that day.

Change Your Perspective

Losing is hard, but at the end of the day it is just a sport. Instead of complaining, try being grateful that you got to step out on the court and put yourself out there. Not everyone gets the opportunity to play a sport, so work to change your perspective. Plus, you are more than just an athlete. Remember all the other things you like to do, all the people who love you, and spend some time in prayer and meditation to help you focus on what’s important. It’s so important to keep in mind that volleyball is not your entire identity. I struggle with this sometimes playing overseas because I’m literally there getting paid to play volleyball, so when it’s not going well, it can really get to me. But, again, you are more than an athlete, be grateful that you get to play a sport that you love, and keep in mind that one day it will be taken away from you, so enjoy every moment, even the tough ones.

I hope you found some value in this post. Sometimes after a loss, it can feel like the end of the world. I’ve been there many, many times. It’s important to learn from your losses (in life, too), use it as motivation for the weeks to come, focus on the things you can control, and keep perspective. After all, without the losses, winning wouldn’t feel so wonderful.

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