Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was eliminated from the 2023 NBA play-offs and was asked by a reporter if he regarded this as a failure:

“There's no failure in sports... It's not a failure, it's steps to success." 

"There's good days, bad days. Some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not... and that's what sports is about.”

This is important to understand, as at Regents Park we have lots of teams who compete in the league every season as well as cups. We cannot win them all, that’s the nature of sport, but what we take from these losses and how we react to them is crucial.

Giannis referenced legendary Basketball player, Michael Jordan, to back up his point:

 "Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships... the other nine years was a failure?"

It’s a key message, because it goes to show even the greatest of athletes endure defeat, but it’s about how they respond to that defeat.

 Michael Jordan said it best himself:

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

So this is a great opportunity for you as a regents park player, to understand that your defeats or setbacks are not defining. 

These are learning experiences for you and part of your journey to becoming a better player.

The goal for you is to try to implement this kind of mindset when you play at Regents Park. This positive outlook is what can help you develop the right attitude to becoming an even better player.

Thank you for reading.