To Lose in order to Win: Exploring the Power of Defeat in Cheerleading 💪 (S1.10)
- janie724
- Jun 29
- 3 min read
Episode of March 19, 2024
In the world of cheerleading, competition is intense, and winning is often what everyone strives for. Yet, behind every victory lies an important truth: losing is part of becoming better. It's a topic candidly addressed in the latest episode of Kick's Cheer Podcast, where athletes, parents, and coaches share their experiences on what it means to lose and how it can help them grow.
🫶 Losing: a hard blow, but a normal step
When a team loses, especially after believing they were going to win, it's often a shock. Athletes can struggle to understand why, and even coaches sometimes don't have clear answers. Sometimes the frustration is overwhelming, like this athlete who recounted being kicked off her team after a poor season, even though she had been a champion the year before. But over time, this experience turned into a valuable lesson. She acknowledged her mistakes, apologized, and today, she looks back on this period with new eyes.
Defeat hurts, it's true. But it also gives us the right to feel, to ask questions, and above all, to learn. It's a key moment in the development of a team, but also of an individual.
👏 How to handle a team defeat?
Managing defeat isn't just an individual task; it's also a collective responsibility. A coach has a big role to play in helping his or her athletes accept what has happened, express their emotions, and then recover together. This collective resilience can bring a team together instead of dividing it.
In younger teams, it often seems easier to move on after a loss. As athletes grow older, they tend to make excuses, rationalize, or point fingers. This can make it difficult to heal and stay motivated.
Defeat teaches values for life.
Losing isn't just about sports. It's a school of life. It teaches you how to cope with failure, not be afraid to make mistakes, and take measured risks. An athlete and mother shares how she passes these values on to her children: it's normal to make mistakes; the important thing is to learn from them and keep moving forward.
It also helps develop an adventurous mindset, being ready to face challenges with courage, whether on the field or in personal life.
💸 The weight of competition and the financial aspect
Cheerleading competition is more frequent today than ever before, with many more events each season. This increases the pressure but also the opportunities. However, participating is expensive: registration fees, travel, accommodations... and losing can be costly too.
Top-level teams, especially those aiming for global competitions, have a real financial stake that cannot be overlooked. This adds an extra layer of stress that makes coping with defeat even more critical.
🎯 Get up, learn, and aim for perfection.
For an athlete, losing also means continuing to improve. Even after a near-perfect performance, you have to work hard, stay focused, and never give another team a chance to take your place.
The key is to train with the mindset that perfection is the goal, without excuses, without letting mistakes slide. It is this discipline that builds champions.
In summary
Losing is an integral part of the athletic journey, especially in cheerleading, where competition is fierce and expectations are high. But far from being a definitive failure, defeat is a source of learning and a step toward winning even more.
It's an experience that strengthens not only physical skills but also mental resilience, team spirit, and essential human values. For athletes and their parents, understanding this helps them experience competition with greater serenity and maturity.
Want to continue listening to this podcast and discover more inspiring stories?
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