Gail Carter-Cade, a Jacksonville-based author specializing in healing and emotional resilience, has written a poem dedicated to the Jacksonville Jaguars as an act of support that addresses the psychological impact of athletic losses. The initiative stems from her family's experience as dedicated fans who witnessed players' emotional withdrawal after a difficult game in Nashville, Tennessee.
"We tried to get their attention to let them know we came all the way from Jacksonville to support them. Most of the players looked down or straight ahead. They wouldn't even make eye contact," Carter-Cade recalled. Rather than interpreting this as rejection, she recognized it as evidence of the emotional burden athletes carry. According to Psychology Today, "athletes often experience deep emotional fallout after losses, including sadness, shame, anger, fear of disappointing others, self-doubt, anxiety, and loss of confidence." This article from Psychology Today documents the psychological challenges athletes face beyond physical performance.
Carter-Cade's poem, titled "A Loss," reframes defeat not as failure but as feedback, emphasizing growth mindset principles. "A pro doesn't avoid losses," she explained. "They respond to them. What matters is the growth mindset — what they learn, how they practice, and how they show up next time." The poem includes lines like "We didn't win the game/But next time we will reclaim" and "We win, we lose together, and stay committed," focusing on collective resilience rather than individual blame.
The author's broader message extends beyond professional sports to students and anyone experiencing disappointment. "I wrote this poem to let athletes know how they feel matters — and to let fans understand the emotional toll of the game," she stated. This approach aligns with her published works, including "Uplifting The Pain By Fostering Growth Mindset Through Poetry Now," available on Amazon, and "Uplifting The Pain of Behavioral and Learning Styles Through Poetry Now," also available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
This initiative matters because it addresses the invisible emotional struggles in competitive environments, where public scrutiny often amplifies personal disappointment. By validating athletes' emotional experiences, Carter-Cade's work promotes mental health awareness in sports culture, potentially reducing stigma around discussing psychological impacts. For fans, it offers perspective on player behavior after losses, fostering empathy rather than criticism. For communities, it models how creative expression can bridge understanding between public figures and their supporters, transforming moments of collective disappointment into opportunities for emotional connection and resilience building.
