I have been a competitive athlete my whole life, and I’ll be the first to admit that I hate losing more than anything. I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. Whether it was school, sports, or friendly competition between friends or family, I went into everything with a “refuse to lose” mentality. It’s a standard that I will continue to hold myself to every single day. My fellow teammates and athletes in the National Pro Fastpitch league are the same way. If we weren’t competitive, fiery, gritty, and combative would we be here? Maybe. But would we be as successful? Probably not.
Losing is part of the game. It’s inevitable and it’s going to happen. In the game of softball one team comes out of each game with a win and the other with a loss. A loss can occur due to one swing, one pitch, one defensive play, etc. It’s going to happen. So far this season, we have lost 15 games as a team. Coming off a 17 loss Championship season last summer, makes that number 15 this early in the season dooming and unsettling. We are working on things and will continue to work on things as a team so we are ready to defend our Championship title this August in Alabama.
Even though losing is part of the game, I still hate when we are on that end of it. I’ve done a lot of self-reflection this summer on my role as a pitcher and as a teammate. Losing affects all athletes differently. Some are able to shake it off and move on right away. Others like myself, need a little more time. I have come up with a short list of the things I tell myself and the actions I take to overcome a loss. As I said, everyone is different, but these work well for me.
Short Term Memory
Things aren’t always going to go our way in softball. Things may happen that are out of our control. I think it’s important to acknowledge the loss and revisit/ understand why it happened because I’ve found it’s easier to move forward. I don’t however, let myself dwell on something for more than a day. If we lose a night game, I will flip the switch by morning and have a clear and focused mind that’s ready for the next game.
Do more, work harder
There are always things to be improved upon in the game of softball from an individual standpoint or collectively as a team. I’ve found that putting in extra work, especially the day after a tough loss, pushes me to improve and feel better. I will usually go on a run or get a good workout in at the gym. I’ve found that working out is a good way to blow off steam from a loss and puts me into a better frame of mind and ready for the next game.
Never get beat twice
This is an important mentality piece for me as a pitcher that I feel as though any position player or hitter could also benefit from. When I’m on the mound and someone gets a hit on a pitch, I tell myself that they won’t get a hit on that same pitch again. I will not let that happen. When you’re up to bat and you strike out on a pitch, don’t let that pitcher beat you on that same pitch twice. Expect it, foul it off, and wait for your pitch. It’s all about your mindset and attitude. If you refuse to let something happen, it won’t.
Sara Moulton is a current Pitcher for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League.
