If you're a dedicated athlete, competitiveness runs through your bloodstream and you absolutely hate to lose. You have a tough time getting over the games where you or your team didn't perform to the best of your abilities. Conversely, when your team plays above and beyond all expectations and in the end you lose, it's impossible for you to quickly recover from the sting and bitterness left in the wake of the game.
Some of the worst games to lose are championship games. My college team has experienced two such losses. Both by the score of 1-0, in consecutive years, on the same field to the same team. (Losing a game 1-0 is arguably more painful than losing 2-1, or 4-3, because that score signifies a gritty, hard-fought defensive battle to be named "the best".)
Our first championship loss was as close to unbelievable as it gets. Neither team could generate many quality offensive chances, and the game appeared to be bound for overtime play. There were very few shots on goal for both teams. But at some point in the second half of the game, a cross from right field bounced off the back of one of our defenders and rolled into the side netting of our own goal. Shock, disbelief, and sadness (especially for the senior class), were rampant emotions throughout the squad.
The next year we were fueled by the desire for redemption. When we found out we'd be facing the same team for the championship game, eagerness and determination were the only emotions highlighted. No one had any doubts that we would win this time around. So when the game once again ended in a 1-0 loss, the team was completely dejected.
It may seem absolute and obvious that championship games are the worst to lose, and I thought so too at first. But I was proved wrong in my third year of college, incredibly after our team went 9-0 in the conference-- each game won by two goals or more. That record came along with hard work and discipline, driven by a will to win that was shaped by heart-breaking losses in the preceding years. Our chances of a championship victory had never looked so promising. Because we earned a bye for the first round of playoffs, we automatically owned a spot in the semi-final game. Unfortunately, and "unfortunate" is an understatement, a 3-1 loss brought our season to an abrupt and early end. I guess you could say heart-breaking losses are what we are known for.
Now, the Class of 2017 has a single season left in our careers. One more season to win the championship. One more season to experience incomparable bonds with teammates. One more season to get pumped up for games by banging on lockers and listening to "Turbulence" at max volume in the locker room beforehand. However if there's anything we've learned from losing so much, it's that we are a team that knows how to bounce back. And we're nothing but excited to have one more season to play the game we love.
