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"Winning, Losing, and Learning" by Jaewon Kim

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For the varsity volleyball team, the Twin Towers Varsity Volleyball tournament featured early wins but ended with two devastating losses and a valuable lesson about motivation. 

Traveling to ISKL, the team confidently entered the tournament with high expectations. And although I sat on the bench for 99% of the tournament, I experienced and watched my teammates fight for every ball from the sidelines.

The first day was basically perfect. We won both of our games 2-0, which hyped us up and gave us momentum going into the second day. From the bench, it was exciting to watch the team play with such confidence. Every receive, set, spike, and block piled onto the belief that we could really make a deep run in this tournament. 

The following day began similarly, with another 2-0 victory. The team had been playing amazingly, and the energy on the bench was fitting our success. It felt as though everything was coming together perfectly.

Then came the elimination game.

Unlike the earlier games, this game was hard. Splitting the first two sets, everything was down to the final set. From the sideline, I could feel the tension in every play and point. Both teams, fighting for their spot in first place, did not want to let go. In the end, Dalat narrowly lost the third set, ending our chance at first place. 

The loss was difficult, but the tournament wasn't over. We still had the chance to finish third and bring back a medal. However, our motivation was different. After coming so close to competing for first place, the team couldn’t find the same energy for our next game. We eventually lost another 2-1 match, with another extremely close third set. 

After the elimination loss, Mr. Riffey reminded us that the tournament wasn’t over. “Tough way to lose that one guys for sure. I get it but gotta reset and go for 3rd place here. Good luck next game and play hard,”  he texted the team. His words completely captured the challenge we had faced: accepting loss without letting it affect our next game.

For me, the hardest part was watching from the bench and knowing I couldn’t change what was happening on the court. I could cheer on my teammates, celebrate after points, and support them after mistakes, but in the end, the result was in their hands. 

The tournament taught me that success isn’t only about skill or talent. It’s also about mental toughness and maintaining our motivation even if things don’t go according to plan. Losing the elimination game was devastating, but letting that loss affect the next game hurts even more. We had already proven we could play at a high level, yet what we needed to learn was how to keep fighting even when the medal we wanted was no longer within our reach.

Although we left ISKL without getting the 1st place we wanted, we left with something that may matter more in the future: a lesson in resilience. Next time, whether we’re losing or winning, I hope we remember that the tournament isn’t over until the final point. 

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