After a tough game or tournament that ends in a loss, it is typical for the excuses to just come pouring out. In a lot of ways, it’s a defense mechanism to avoid facing the disappointment of the loss. It’s much easier to blame the loss on someone or something else than to learn from any mistakes that might have happened. However, if we continue to use excuses, we can’t learn from our mistakes meaning we won’t improve for the next game or tournament. So, try to avoid using these excuses at all costs:

1. “They were way better than us.” Even if the team you played was a higher ranked team or a more experienced team, that does not automatically make that team better than yours. If you do play a more experienced team, you should see it as an opportunity to compete at a higher level, not an excuse to give up and lose the game. And you never know, you might end up winning the game anyway and we all know that everybody likes a good “upset.” Plus, saying the other team was better than you just undermines your team’s ability to play the game. It’s a really discouraging excuse and it prevents you from shaking off the loss, especially if you have to play that team again later in the season or if you have more games to play that day at a tournament.

2. “The refs were calling dumb calls.” Here’s the thing about refs, they have a really tough job because no matter what they do, somebody is going to be upset about it. In general, most refs are trying to just call a fair game. The last thing they want is to be ridiculed by athletes, coaches, and parents so they are going to avoid that if they can. Also, even if a ref does make a call that you don’t agree with it’s only going to affect 1, 2, or 3 points. Considering that a game is at least 25 points, those few points that a ref might influence won’t largely affect the game overall. Instead of placing the blame on others that you don’t have control over, focus on contemplating actual skills, techniques, and strategies that you and your team can adjust for the next game.

3. “I couldn’t get out of a funk.” I personally understand where this excuse comes from. However, allowing yourself to get in such a funk not only prevents you from playing well but it also lets your team down greatly. Even if you do have some mistakes, your first priority is to shake it off. You can’t expect to play well in a game if you’re still upset about a missed serve or shanked pass from five plays ago. Another thing to consider is helping your teammates out if you notice they might be getting in a funk. It’s a team sport and most people appreciate an encouraging “hey, shake it off, you got the next one” from time to time. Getting stuck in a funk should never be an excuse to lose a game anyway because that means you’re placing the sole blame on yourself, and that’s not good for your self-esteem. So, try your hardest to avoid the “funks” in the first place!

4. “I got too tired at the end.” Sometimes volleyball games that last quite a while. Because of this, you need to prepare for long matches by taking your conditioning seriously. Although conditioning drills might not seem fun at the time, they are going to be worthwhile when you’re competing in an intense 5-set match. Using “tiredness” as an excuse means that you just weren’t prepared for the game – which is a bummer! If this does happen in game, consider putting in more effort into the conditioning drills. Plus, being tired doesn’t mean you didn’t have the skills or techniques to win the game – it just means you weren’t able to accurately implement the skills and techniques that you needed. So, condition, get prepared, and win the next match!

5. “The coach made me…” or “The coach told me to… We hear these excuses way too often. An example is if an athlete misses their serve “because the coach told me to serve a different way and I don’t like that way.” Well, a coach’s job is to help athletes improve, right? So, I’m almost positive coaches are not going to make suggestions that will worsen your ability to play volleyball. If they do give you direction about a different technique or skill, take it to heart and make an effort to change. Coaches have different volleyball experiences than their athletes do – so, they might be privy to a more successful technique that they want to share with the athlete. Even if the changes seem weird at first, give it a chance and see if overall the changes make you a more successful volleyball player later. Also, a coach is never going to sabotage their own team to lose a game, so this excuse is simply just not true!

I know losses can be frustrating! But instead of using these excuses following a loss, try asking yourself: What went wrong? What did we do successfully? What can we/I change? How can we improve now? What are our goals for next game? Asking yourself these kinds of questions and contemplating the loss is a thoughtful, productive way will be more beneficial than just giving excuses for why you lost.