Winners Lose, Too
Ranked No. 1 in Sports Essays by Amazon
Winners Lose, Too uses compelling stories from world athletes to engage young readers and to provide them with examples about triumph after failure. Each athlete’s chapter is written for middle school and high school students in a manner that is interesting and entertaining. The embedded lessons about reliance and courage are not “preachy”, but are the result of the athlete’s personal observations and narratives.
This is a book that young people, athletic or not, will find enjoyable and inspirational. It features both well-known and less familiar figures from all ethnic groups and includes stories by girls and women as well as disabled athletes.
It is a book that parents can share with their child. And a book that parents and teachers can be confident will spark a discussion and thinking about what makes success? What is failure? And how does a path forward look? How does a person rise from a set-back to grow and to learn?
This book deserves to be in every school library, coach’s book shelf and in every household with young people.
Stories from Winners Lose, Too
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Failure is an Education: Max Scherzer
Baseball legend Max Scherzer stands tall with three Cy Young Awards and a World Series win. He embraces failure as a learning opportunity. The goal is always to get better. Failure or loss signals a part of his game that can be fixed.
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Injury as Incentive: Micki King
Micki King, a future Olympic diver, grew up swimming in a lake in Michigan. At the 1968 Olympics, she was atop the leader board going into the finals until she broke her arm. In 1972 she returned to win a Gold Medal. Her relentless practice not only earned her gold, but also sustained her in her career after diving as she helped pave the way for future athletes.
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Athletics in Adversity: Chris Binnie
Squash player, Chris Binnie, has held the number one ranking in Jamaica for 10 years. At age 16 he was poised to lay claim to that exalted ranking. Instead, Charley Burrowes, the 35-year-old ranking king, defeated him in five sets. After berating himself and feeling ashamed, Binnie refocused and committed to training harder. He subsequently defeated Burrowes and says, “When I start my business, I will hire athletes because they know what it takes to persevere through adversity.”
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Finding a Way to Win: Darija Jurak
Darija Jurak learned to play tennis literally between bombings during the Serbia/Croatian War. Her dad took her to the “wall” to practice when the bombings abated, knowing that when the siren sounded again, she had 30 minutes to get safely home. Her doggedness led her to defeat other girls with more coaching and practice time than she had. Her self-critical mind presents an additional opponent to be reckoned with. Managing your “internal opponent” can be the key to defeating an opponent across the net.
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It is All in Your Perspective: Bernie Wolfe
Bernie Wolfe was the Washington Capitals’ first goalie. The team was terrible and lost nearly every game. Yet when asked about the lowly job of being the goalie on the worst NHL team, he remarked, “There are only 32 teams and 32 goalies. I am one of them. That is pretty special.” Being an all time loser, can still make you a winner.
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Keep Trying: Nick Lowery
NFL placekicker and Hall of Fame nominee, Nick Lowery has a wealth of experience in both failing and succeeding. Cut by eleven NFL football teams, Nick went on to become the most accurate placekicker of his time. Persistence teamed with practice is the key to Nick’s success.
If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it.
— Muhammed Ali