ABILENE, Texas (BCH Sports) – In the world of sports, victories are cherished, celebrated, and immortalized, but losses are an inherent part of the game that cannot be avoided.

For athletes, coaches, and fans alike, dealing with defeat can be a bitter pill to swallow. However, it is the way coaches handle losses that often determines the future success and resilience of their teams.

When speaking with the head football coaches of Abilene High, Cooper and Wylie, they gave insight on how they handle the locker room talk after their teams loses.

Cooper’s head coach Aaron Roan said, “The thing that I talk about is trusting the process.”

“I always say, ‘Nothing is as good. Nothing is as bad. Somewhere the middle reality lies,” said Abilene High’s head coach Mike Fullen.

Wylie’s head coach Clay Martin said, “I think it’s a lot about having perspective.”

Roan added, “We’ve got to understand with maturity that we play good opponents to expose what we’ve got to get better at. If you play folks that aren’t, you may have a false sense of security. That’s the first thing that I’ve told my guys.”

“I don’t think there is anything you can say at that moment after a loss. Everybody is all happy after a win. I think it’s about having great perspective and enjoying the outcome when you win and knowing you’ve got to go back to work when you lose,” said Martin.

Mike Fullen added, “I always praise and tell them how appreciative I am of their effort. If anything is going to fall back, it’s going to fall back on me on a loss. When we win, it’s coaches and players. When there’s a loss, I’m going to take the hit on that because it’s my responsibility to have them ready to play.”

Losses are inevitable, but how coaches handle them can make all the difference in a team’s future success. Coaches play a vital role in ensuring that their athletes not only get up but also grow stronger after each setback.

Fullen, Roan, and Martin are the Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union Coaches of the Week.