Featured Image: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin
Badminton, like any sport, is a competition. Everyone who is playing wants to be the best in their category. Whether that’s socially, at a club level, county/state or internationally. There’s no denying that winning is the ultimate goal. To lose in badminton, there’s a certain shame, particularly in tournaments. Yet we all understand the inevitability of losing. All of us will or have experienced this. Even the seemingly invincible Kento Momota will falter at some point.
But I’m here to tell you, it’s OK to lose! That might sound like it’s the wrong mentality to have in sport but it depends on your perspective. Here are some reasons why I think it’s OK to lose.
But First..
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The Benefits of Losing
Helps You Learn
The best thing about losing is that it forces you to learn from your mistakes. And the great thing about this benefit is that it applies right up to the highest standard of gameplay. It’s why so many coaches and players spend hours on video analysis, not just on analysing opponents but also on their own areas in which they can improve.
If there’s one thing in particular that you are weak at and your opponent is constantly targetting that area, then, of course, it’s going to highlight your shortcomings. The most typical example is the backhand. This should be a warning light that in order to be a better player, you need to work on these areas.
Many professional players are constantly trying to improve their game, even though to us mere mortals it appears as if they are already perfect, there’s always something they’re working on. Fu Haifeng was known as a demon in the rear court, raining down smashes. But he was relatively weak in the front court but over time he improved his abilities at the net and it was obvious in his gameplay in later tournaments.
Makes You Stronger Mentally
Losing definitely won’t kill you, but it will make you stronger and help build character. When you lose you have to accept the fact that you lost.
What this should do is give you the motivation to be better and to be the best you can be. The desire to get better is often born out of the result of suffering a loss of some kind. As you should use losses as the drive to improve your game. To lose in badminton is to gain in strength.
Teaches Humility
Winning all the time is great! However, when you have a long winning streak, it’s easy to become complacent. When that loss finally comes, it can be a reality check. This is good not only for an arrogant players but for those around them! Humility is something that makes people more likeable, and also an important factor in being a good leader/coach. Particularly if you are a pivotal person in your club or institution.
I highly suspect that although Lee Chong Wei may not have achieved his Olympic Gold or World title, his humility is what makes him a role model not only to the Malaysian Badminton Players but to players all over the world.
Teaches Good Sportsmanship
Nobody likes a sore loser! If you’ve done your best in a game, there’s nothing more you could have done. Throwing a tantrum, or disagreeing with the end result will not change anything. You can only acknowledge that the opponent was better than you on the day and shake their hand.
It sounds strange, but the more you lose, the more you grow as a player. Not because you get used to losing, but because you know how difficult it is to make it to the top.
Conclusion
Winning is the objective of any sport. When players get on the court, they go out there to win. But where one side has to win, the other has to lose in badminton. What will determine you as a great player is not necessarily the titles you win. It’s the journey to those titles. How many obstacles did you have to overcome, and how many losses did you suffer before you reached those heights?
Although a loss at that moment might be the worst feeling, if you can identify, why you lost and make changes that will change your game for the better, you’ll be making the right steps towards becoming a champion.
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