Winning doesn't matter, but playing hard does

Most of the team in the Illinois College stands after learning we were Conference Champions

Outside of being far more fun, and allowing us to continue our season into the conference tournament, I'm still not convinced that we have to win to make our season relevant. Playing sports, being a part of a team, working hard, making goals and working to meet them, all of these things are worthwhile. And winning brings smiles and cheers and recognition, but I don't think it means that losing teams aren't worth being a part of. I think the problem with losing is that it tends to lead to other problems: anger, frustration, blaming others for the team's losing record, and a feeling on the field that it doesn't matter if you play hard because you're going to lose anyway.

Anyway, I had mentioned all of this in a previous post. And I suppose, it's easier for me to make that argument when we are winning and I'm enjoying all the perks that come along with that, instead of slogging through a losing season and all of the issues that come along with that. I would like to add an asterisk to that previous post however. I think losing is ultimately okay if you put your heart and soul, blood and tears into the game, and simply get beat. I think losing is ultimately okay if you play hard and get beat by an obviously better team. I think losing is okay if you overcame obstacles or bested expectations to get to a certain point in the season and circumstances simply overwhelm your team. It is not okay to get beat because you don't play hard, you don't support your teammates, you assume a win is yours before the game begins simply because you've played well in the past, or you are dreaming about the consequences of winning before the game is finished.

Both teams meet on the field to celebrate after the Men beat the Blueboys to capture the Conference title

I don't think we were guilty of all of those sins on Saturday but certainly some of them, at least to a certain extent. Obviously Monmouth, on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs, had some motivation and absolutely nothing to lose. It seemed as though we played not to lose rather than our usual tough, high pressure game. The Scots knocked enough doubt into us that I felt like it crept into the first half of the Illinois College game on Saturday before we remembered who we were and what we were capable of. In the end, because we beat IC and St. Norbert beat Grinnell in a back-and-forth 4-3 game, we retained at least a piece of the Conference Championship. Hopefully we can prove that we deserved it. That we can show in the tournament that we deserve to be judged by our eight wins and not by our single loss.

Celebrating with the Conference Champion Men's Team at Illinois College

We have ten days to get healthy and whole. Between now and then we'll figure out where we are going to play and who we are going to play. Until then, we're just gonna work at being the best Foresters we can be.

And a huge congratulations to the boys who won the Conference outright and will be hosting the Conference Tournament next weekend.