Wins and losses teach us lessons in athletics, life

In early March, I was sitting next to Manitou boys basketball coach Brian Vecchio and telling him something that was very relevant at the time.

“The squad has taken some heavy losses this year.”

I wasn’t talking about Vecchio’s basketball team or even a Manitou team in general. I was talking about us. Our group of friends. We, as people, had taken some pretty big hits and suffered a couple of life losses.

But it’s important to note that we also had some pretty big wins. I’d venture a guess that the same thing could be said in any given school year, but during this year, in particular, those wins and losses felt more drastic than usual. 

I know I did. I took a pretty big personal loss earlier this year, but it got countered with a pretty big professional win. 

Covering high school athletics for the past eight years has truly become a huge part of my life. I find the stories to be unique and the payoff to be rewarding. A man by the name of Nate Lundy knew this from my work with him as editor with Mile High Sports magazine.

In November, Nate called me with a hypothetical scenario.

“I’m considering buying Colorado Preps,” he told me. “Would you be interested in coming aboard?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. Colorado Preps is a network founded by a man named Kevin Shaffer. I’ve gotten to know Kevin pretty well over the last several years and when I told him that I was connected with this deal he and Nate were trying to work out, he approved.

It took some patience and some time, but the deal was finished the second week of May. Right when I needed it the most.

I was officially named editor in chief of Colorado Preps on May 13 and have spent the remainder of the month tying up loose ends and commitments I’d made for the 2021-22 school year.

For a long time, I’ve contributed to these pages in the Pikes Peak Bulletin and in that time have learned to embrace the lessons that are taught to high school athletes. The chief lesson is that one can’t appreciate victories in life without understanding the disappointment of the losses that come with it.

I plan to continue writing the Bulletin’s sports pages — this is the only freelance contract I’ll maintain with my new job.

I have come to appreciate and root on the kids at Manitou more than anyone else in the state, and I have no desire to change that. Because, without them, I don’t know if I’d be able to apply that lesson of wins and losses to what’s transpired in 2022.

I’m excited for what the future holds for me, high school athletics and the future of the Manitou teams that I cover throughout their seasons.

But without taking a few losses along the road, there is no way to appreciate some of the wins I’ve had in recent months.