Jacksonville author Gail Carter-Cade has channeled her family's dedication as die-hard Jacksonville Jaguars fans into a poem that addresses the emotional aftermath of athletic losses, shifting the conversation from scoreboard results to psychological resilience. The initiative emerges from a personal experience at a Jaguars away game in Nashville, Tennessee, where Carter-Cade observed players avoiding eye contact after a defeat, prompting her to consider the unseen emotional struggles athletes face.
As an author specializing in healing, emotional resilience, and overcoming pain, Carter-Cade recognized that athletes experience more than physical setbacks. She cites Psychology Today research indicating that athletes often experience deep emotional fallout after losses, including sadness, shame, anger, fear of disappointing others, self-doubt, anxiety, and loss of confidence. Her poem, "A Loss," reflects this reality by portraying the internal conflict of an athlete who feels "like trash" after a defeat but resolves to "reclaim" success next time.
The poem's significance extends beyond sports fandom to address broader themes of growth mindset and emotional intelligence. Carter-Cade emphasizes that "a pro doesn't avoid losses" but rather responds to them, focusing on what they learn, how they practice, and how they show up next time. This perspective reframes loss not as failure but as feedback, a concept with applications in business leadership, technology development, and AI innovation where iterative learning and resilience are critical.
For business and technology leaders, Carter-Cade's approach offers insights into fostering organizational cultures that embrace setbacks as learning opportunities. The emotional toll described in the poem parallels the pressures faced by executives, entrepreneurs, and teams navigating competitive markets, product launches, or technological challenges. By acknowledging and addressing these emotional dimensions, organizations can potentially enhance performance, innovation, and employee well-being.
Carter-Cade has expanded her message through various platforms, including a YouTube channel and social media accounts, though her primary focus remains on the poem's core message. She has also authored related 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" available through Barnes and Noble.
The initiative represents a convergence of sports, mental health awareness, and personal development that resonates beyond football. By highlighting the emotional realities of athletic performance, Carter-Cade's work encourages a more compassionate and psychologically informed approach to competition, leadership, and personal growth, with implications for how businesses and technology sectors address failure, resilience, and human performance in high-pressure environments.
