They also learn how to deal with the fact that at the end of the season there is usually one champion (team or individual) who triumphed above the rest. They look at that as a worthy accomplishment that they will try to achieve the next year.
Sadly, we have lost that in the area of academics where people now feel that we have to coddle the kids, protect them from the real world, have everyone a winner, or even, laughably, have elections to determine who is worthy of being honored with the highest academic award.
Pathetic.