I recently watched a high school state track and field championship. At the beginning of the evening, the excitement among the athletes was palpable. Each athlete and team had such determination and grit—but, of course, not all of them were going to win their events or the meet.

At the end of the evening, I watched as one coach brought his female and male athletes together. Some had won their events, others had placed, and others didn’t do as well. The young women and men didn’t win their overall championships, though they came in second and third, respectively.

It was clear they had wanted to do better. The coach rallied his team in the middle of the track, with their arms linked around one another and talked about their journey through the season. He celebrated their accomplishments as individuals and as a team. After tears, hugs, and laughter, the team walked away from this impressive display of coaching excited to train over the summer and head into the next season.

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