What was your biggest disappointment in sports?

"In 2005 when I came in last place at my first national fitness competition in New York City my first inclination was to make excuses and blame the judges. Then I realized I wouldn’t grow from the experience and become a better athlete if I didn’t accept this loss. I learned a lot from that experience, more than I learned from any wins, and I become a better competitor for it.  I took something far more valuable than a trophy away from the experience. I was able to come back in 2006 to the same competition, and this time, I won. I turned failure into success because I did not quit.”

– Karen Patten

“I don’t have just one big disappointment in sports. However, I do have many smaller ones that helped motivate me as an athlete.” 

– Dean Larson

“I blew out my ACL on a trial run a couple of years ago when I hit a jump and  missed the landing. I dedicated myself to rehab, and never missed a day.  I came back more prepared than before.”

– Eric Heil
                                   
“I was cut by the Arizona Cardinals in 2003.  I was very depressed and thought that my life was over. I ended up moving back to Anchorage, getting married and starting a family.  I run a program called the Ma’o Tosi’s PRIDE PROGRAM with Communities In Schools. I had to pick myself up and get moving with my life.”

– Ma’o Tosi

“In 2001 I had a horrible [Iditarod] race.  But I took it as a motivator.  I coined the phrase ‘worst to first’ that year.  That was my motto.  In 2002 I set a speed record.”

–Martin Buser

“In 2002, at the Olympics in Park City, I crashed in my race.  It was the most devastating moment in my life.  I was so sure that I was going to win a metal; I was snowboarding so good at the time.  I learned that you cannot define yourself through results…fame is fleeting!” 

– Rosey Fletcher

“I had to give up running.  My body eventually gave out, and I couldn’t run anymore. It was hard to retire, but I had to move on; I forced myself to move on.  I found something else; I really like ballroom dancing.”  – Stan Justice

“In 1999, I lost the National Championship Game and was also my last game of my college career at Duke. I wanted to win so much and I felt we were so close. I learned to put sports in perspective. Life goes on and there will be good times and bad times in life.  It is only a game.” 

– Trajan Langdon

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