Success is more than a state title

A veteran and wise coach once reminded me of what the No. 1 goal of every high school sports team really should be.

The odds of winning the state championship, he pointed out, are so slim — less than 5 percent — that teams who only have that goal and won't be happy with anything less are realistically being unrealistic.

Of the two dozen or so teams in each classification that begin every season in search of a state title, only one can reach that goal. Therefore, that means the other 23 will, if winning a state title is their only goal, finish the season disappointed.

That's why this coach told me that winning any championship is only a bonus to the season. Because 95 percent of teams won't win a state championship, the real goal should be for coaches and players to make sure the season is a memorable and good experience. Things should be learned. People should grow. Friendships should be fostered. Effort should be cherished.

Thankfully, many coaches share this philosophy. When I interviewed Davis coach Jay Welk following his team's heartbreaking loss to Lone Peak in the 5A semifinals, I expected to see a man who was feeling total devastation for his kids. After all, the Darts came within a whisker of beating one of the most-talented teams of all time.

Instead, I listened to a coach who was bursting at the seams with pride for his players. In his words, these kids gave everything they had this season and left everything on the court that day. What they did was historic, and thousands of fans witnessed it. The lessons learned that day and respect gained from the Darts' effort with just as rewarding as "hoisting any gold trophy," Welk said.

Well, I'm not sure if I really believe the Darts feel that way, and I believe they would have felt much better had they won, but I do believe they will always feel proud about what they accomplished this season and in that game against Lone Peak. They should.

Hopefully, the other teams and players who did not win state titles this past winter season are basking in all of the good things that they did accomplish. Hopefully, most players and teams can look back and say "we gave it all we had." Hopefully, most can look back and say "that was fun." If the experience was rewarding, the season was a success.

I can find good in the season of almost every single team from Region 4 and Region 7.

How about Mountain View? Both the girls and boys teams were competitive in every single game and both reached the playoffs for the first time in the past few years by playing great basketball down the stretch. The Bruins basketball programs are certainly heading back in the right direction.

Consider Springville in this same boat. The two Red Devils teams went to the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade, and both played respectable in the tournament. In fact, the lady Red Devils almost made it to the championship game. How can you not find good in that?

Timpview's two teams didn't win a state title, but the boys reached the semis for the second straight year and the girls almost won their second-straight title. There's nothing to be ashamed of with that kind of success.

Overall, in girls basketball, there were many success stories.

American Fork made it to the title game by recovering from a late-season slump. Even though the Cavemen didn't win a championship, the experience and respect earned are sure to help when they pursue that goal next season.

Timpanogos went from a mediocre team early in the year to a very good team, one that could beat any other team, late in the year. Lone Peak peaked at the right time. And how about Pleasant Grove, a team that provided the upset of the postseason?

Even teams that did not make the playoffs this past season still have something good to look back on.

Take the Lehi boys team. Yes, the Pioneers won only one league game and seven overall, but every opponent they played left the court knowing they had just played a very good basketball team - the best seven-win team in the state.

The Payson girls team came up short of making the playoffs by one game, but the Lions can never be called quitters. At one point, they were 0-5 in region play. They ended the year by winning their final four games. Impressive.

Let's just hope that coaches and players understand that you don't have to win it all, to be a winner. And it doesn't hurt for the rest of us to remind them of that.

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E-mail: jimr@desnews.com

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