I would bet that all of us as athletes, parents, coaches and fans have felt that a referee's bad call either cost us or our child a match or our favorite team a game. Maybe the bad call did actually cost someone the match or the team a game. Most people I believe would be understandably very frustrated with the situation. I believe we need to try to control our frustration and disappointment as soon as possible, but it is not easy.

I once heard Dan Gable talk about his final collegiate match, the NCAA final match his senior year that ended his famous undefeated college career on a losing note. He said there was some questionable decision by the referee that many thought cost him that match. I believe he said that he too thought it was a questionable call. What he ultimately decided to do was to use it as a positive motivating factor. He determined that he would work so hard to improve for the upcoming Olympics that he would become so good that a referee would not be in position to cost him a match with a bad call. I believe he won the next Olympic gold medal without allowing a point during any of his matches. So even if we do feel that a bad call cost us a match, a higher place at State, or even a State Championship, at some point after we have dealt with the frustration and disappointment, maybe the athlete could turn the disappointment into motivation.