Oh dear. Here we go! It's time to play the blame game. As we get closer to the championships in our winter sports, it's very seldom because we did not make the plays; or do our best or someone else outperformed us. We too many times hear the loser's lament. We lost because.....

Anything and everything from the coach's decisions, to bad calls, to poor facilities, to they don't like us. Stop. All of it is pure gobbledygook!

Games are won and lost all the time because someone else made more plays. Give them credit. No blame game.

Stand up and take responsibility for the results. Sometimes it just doesn't work out and the opponent wins. So what! Keep your dignity and self-respect and buck up, congratulate the winner and move on. No gobbledygook!

The old adage is very true in educational based athletics; "It's not if you win or lose, but how you played the game". No one wants to hear excuses or diatribe from poor losers.

The lessons learned upon the playing surface will be of great assistance in life if the lessons are kept in proper perspective and personal responsibilities of those actions are taken.

Golf legend, Jack Nicklaus, has said "It's great to win, but it's also great fun just to be in the thick of any truly well and hard fought contest against opponents you respect, whatever the outcome."

That folks, is truly a hole in one!

Interscholastic athletics; where life's lessons are learned daily.