The hyper-focus on results and performances after a weekend of sport is a growing reality in South African school sport; wins, losses and major upsets become leading news in print and online media which are then converted into logs and tables of “School Rankings” where weekly changes in position on the ranking table fuels the excitement and passion for next week’s round of fixtures.

When we win or have a great game, we are eager to spread the news and relive the details with friends, family and team mates. Almost without hesitation, it can be said that everyone loves winning! Winning and being a feared or respected opponent feels better than losing or having to settle for a draw against a rival you could have beaten.

In stark contrast, reflecting on a loss doesn’t invite such enthusiasm. Quite naturally, we try to avoid painful memories and emotions. Losing teams are often scorned, hushed or dismissed as a taboo; the aim is to keep looking ahead and escape the pain and anguish of a tough defeat.

While good results and high rankings might be an important source of motivation for teams and players players, a marketing tool for Governing Bodies or a source of pride for old boys and girls, are they a healthy measure of performance and future success?

Arguably, yes, winning games throughout the season is a direct measure of the success of a team. No team that has lost every game or come bottom of the log ever been labelled successful! However, evaluating a team’s performance as simply “won” or “lost” excludes an explanation of HOW a team or individual performed.

There are many games during any season where the objective reality of the score line might reflect a large winning (or losing margin). Depending on the sport, we all have a personal opinion on what makes for a large or narrow win / loss ratio. In tennis, is losing by two Sets a big or small margin? How many runs or wickets in a cricket match?  Is it 15, 20 or 40 points in a rugby game? Was the recent 4-1 win by Real Madrid over Athletico a big margin? How do we account for the game having gone into Extra Time?

Winning and losing does matter to each of us as it has a direct impact on whether we feel good or bad about either ourselves or the team we are supporting. However, we should be cautious when ignoring the background story or the details of the game that can possibly reflect on a narrow loss, a gutsy display of effort, missed opportunities and other important thrills that make watching and playing sport so exciting.

Score lines and results are only a small glimpse of what actually happened during the game. It is in the watching, sharing and reliving the reality of the game rather than a bland score line that makes sport so exciting. Be cautious to not allow a win-loss ratio or ranking to determine your sporting enjoyment but rather ensure that each experience informs the next, better performance.