64 Sports Quotes

64 Sports Quotes

Let these sports quotes give you the motivation to be the best at what you do. Be inspired by the champions, the winners and the everyday people who were determined to be the best they could be.

Words of wisdom from players, coaches, and people who have experienced the joy of sports.

Sports can teach us a lot about life. From playing in a team to being your best, to just having fun.

    An athlete is a normal person with the  gift of an undying passion 
to be the best and achieve greatness. Amanda Ring

  1. An athlete is a normal person with the gift of an undying passion to be the best and achieve greatness. Amanda Ring
    Passion
  2. I was told over and over again that I would never be successful, that I was not going to be competitive and the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do was shrug and say “We’ll just have to see”. Dick Fosbury, High Jumper
    Inspirational Quotes
  3. An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head. Emil Zatopek, Long-distance Runner
    Hope
  4. Thinking clearly and acting effectively under pressure is something every 
pro player must learn to do. Mike Kane

  5. Thinking clearly and acting effectively under pressure is something every pro player must learn to do. Mike Kane, Sports Psychology
    Stress
  6. Famous gymnasts, track stars, and athletes of all types have known, practiced and sang the praises of mental rehearsals for ages. Sandra Bell, Lunchtime Joy Magnet
    Famous
  7. If you examine sports teams closely, you will find that a team doesn’t necessarily have to have the best players to win championships to succeed. Michael Welton, Be Your Best
    Team
  8. For all the techniques and interventions that sport psychologists use, though, the biggest way to effect a change in a person is to understand them. John Perry, Sport Psychology
    Quote of the Day
  9. If you aren't going all the way, why go at all? Joe Namath

  10. If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all? Joe Namath
    Determination
  11. I found out that if you are going to win games, you had better be ready to adapt. Scotty Bowman
    Change
  12. Most other competitions are individual achievements, but the Olympic Games is something that belongs to everybody. Scott Hamilton
    Accomplishment
  13. Sports serves many purposes. It can entertain us, bring people together for some friendly competition, and it can also teach us lessons for everyday life. Daniel Stephenson, 101 Inspirational Sports Quotes
    Quotes on Life Lessons
  14. You miss 100% of the shots you never take. 
   Wayne Gretzky

  15. You miss 100% of the shots you never take. Wayne Gretzky
    Taking Risks
  16. Champions keep playing until they get it right. Billie Jean King
    Perseverance
  17. I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” Muhammad Ali, Professional Boxer
    Attitude
  18. Sports are the reason I am out of shape. I watch them all on TV. Thomas Sowell
    Funny Quotes about Life
  19. If you can't outplay them, outwork them. Ben Hogan

  20. If you can’t outplay them, outwork them. Ben Hogan, Professional Golfer
    Work
  21. When you’re riding, only the race in which you’re riding is important. Bill Shoemaker, Jockey
    Purpose
  22. Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character. T. Alan Armstrong
    Character
  23. Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement. 
  Matt Biondi

  24. Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement. Matt Biondi, Competition Swimmer
    Persistence
  25. Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. Muhammad Ali
    Dream
  26. You are the handicap you must face. You are the one who must choose your place. James Lane Allen
    Choices
  27. You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. Michael Jordan

  28. You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. Michael Jordan
    Words of Encouragement
  29. I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it. . . I know fear is an obstacle for some people, but it’s an illusion to me. Michael Jordan
    Fear
  30. It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself. Muhammad Ali
    Faith
  31. Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence. George F. Will
    Example
  32. Clarify your direction as soon as possible – it is the most important decision in sports, and everyone knows it, which is curious, because in life, it is the most important decision as well, but not many people take it into account. Helena Angel, How To Be Happy
    Decision
  33. Goals prepare Olympic athletes physically and mentally. 
 Paul Bailey

  34. Goals prepare Olympic athletes physically and mentally. Did you know that goals are used by sports psychologists in order to help athletes improve their performance? Paul Bailey, Your Little Steps to Self Confidence for Life
    Goal
  35. In sports, players need to be reminded of their competition to become motivated to practice. The same can be applied in business. Gavin McGinnis, Coaching: 10 Coaching Skills
    Focus
  36. Any guy who can maintain a positive attitude without much playing time certainly earns my respect. Earvin Magic Johnson, Basketball Player
    Positive Attitude Quotes
  37. I’ve always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win. Arnold Palmer
    Effort
  38. Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life. Billie Jean King
    Teacher
  39. The mind messes up more shots than the body. 
  Tommy Bolt

  40. The mind messes up more shots than the body. Tommy Bolt, Professional Golfer
    Mindset
  41. What is love? Love is playing every game as if it’s your last! >Michael Jordan, Basketball Player
    Basketball Quotes
  42. The athlete who is building muscles though weight training should be very sure to work adequately on speed and flexibility at the same time. In combat, without the prior attributes, a strong man will be like the bull with its colossal strength futilely pursuing the matador or like a low-geared truck chasing a rabbit. Bruce Lee
    Cute Quotes
  43. I don’t know about you but I personally find it distasteful competing without respect. But we must earn it! Coach Don James, The Thursday Speeches
    Respect
  44. Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful. Wayne Gretzky
    Successful
  45. Basketball is like photography, if you don't focus, all you have is the negative.   
 Dan Frisby

  46. “Basketball is like photography, if you don’t focus, all you have is the negative.” Dan Frisby
    Negativity
  47. “In sports, you simply aren’t considered a real champion until you have defended your title successfully. Winning it once can be a fluke; winning it twice proves you are the best.” Althea Gibson
    Winning
  48. “All these boundaries� Africa, Asia, Malaysia, America – are set by men. But you don’t have to look at boundaries when you are looking at a man – at the character of a man. The question is: What do you stand for? Are you a follower, or are you a leader? ” Hakeem Olajuwon, Basketball Player
    Leadership
  49. “The man who has no imagination has no wings.” Muhammad Ali, Champion Wrestler
    Imagination
  50. “I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you’re a musician, a writer, an athlete or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you’ll win–if you don’t, you won’t.” Bruce Jenner, Decathlon Olympic Gold Medalist
    Life
  51. practice makes perfect

  52. They say “practice makes perfect”, this is so true for any type of sports. The more practice the better you become. Kate Summers
    Practice
  53. “The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it.” Wayne Gretzky, Canadian Hockey Player
    Positive Quotes for Work
  54. “The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why they’re working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different.” Rick Pitino, Basketball Coach
    Motivational
  55. Life is like sports – you win some, you lose some. But, what is important is your attitude when you lose – how fast you get back up and start again. Catherine Pulsifer
    Giving Up
  56. Be bold. If you’re going to make an error, make a doozy, and don’t be afraid to hit the ball. Billie Jean King, Tennis Player
    Bold
  57. Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding.
 Jim Valvano

  58. Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding. Jim Valvano, American College Basketball Player and Coach
    Failure
  59. “To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.” Jim Valvano, Basketball Coach
    Laughter
  60. To uncover your true potential, you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them. Picabo Street, World Cup Alpine Ski Racer and Olympic Gold Medalist
    Courage
  61. The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. Vince Lombardi
    Dedication
  62. I can tell you one thing. I’ve done this my way. I don’t have anybody to blame for this win but me, and I love it. John Daly
    Blame
  63. I think it's the mark of a great player to be confident in tough situations. 
  John McEnroe

  64. I think it’s the mark of a great player to be confident in tough situations. John McEnroe, Tennis player
    Confidence
  65. It was in sports that he (Dwight Eisenhower) first discovered his talents as a leader and an organizer. As a boy, he provided the energy and leadership that led to a Saturday-afternoon game of football or baseball. Stephen E. Ambrose, Eisenhower: Soldier and President
    Dwight Eisenhower Quotes
  66. When you’ve got something to prove, there’s nothing greater than a challenge. Terry Bradshaw, Football Quarterback
    Challenge
  67. Number one is just to gain a passion for running. To love the morning, to love the trail, to love the pace on the track. And if some kid gets really good at it, that’s cool too. Pat Tyson, Track and Field Coach
    Running
  68. The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well. The Olympic Creed
    Inspirational Quotes about Life and Struggles
  69. You learn you can do your best even when its hard, even when you're 
tired and maybe hurting a little bit. Joe Namath

  70. You learn you can do your best even when its hard, even when you’re tired and maybe hurting a little bit. It feels good to show some courage. Joe Namath
    Best Quotes
  71. The only way to overcome is to hang in. Even I’m starting to believe that. Dan OBrien, Olympic gold medalist
    Overcoming
  72. The one nice thing about sports is that they prove men do have emotions and are not afraid to show them. Jane O’Reilly
    Feeling
  73. My dad has always taught me these words: care and share. That’s why we put on clinics. The only thing I can do is try to give back. If it works, it works. Tiger Woods
    Sharing
  74. When you’re playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you’ll fight for the winners circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor. Pat Riley, Basketball Coach and Player
    Great Quotes about Life
  75. Often mothers and fathers hesitate to be too involved, not wanting to be seen as clamoring or insistent – as stereotypical sports parents. It is a difficult thing to balance: coaches may know a sport, but they are rarely the best judges of what is best for a child. Michael Sokolove, Warrior Girls
    Parents
  76. So many players enter the game with the same approximate skills. 
The difference is not aptitude but attitude. Dave Winfield

  77. So many players enter the game with the same approximate skills. The difference is not aptitude but attitude. Dave Winfield, 12-time MLB All-Star, World Series Champion
    Top Ten Quotes about Attitude
  78. The Invictus Games are an international multisport event for WIS (wounded, injured and sick) Armed Services personnel and veterans. The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and increase awareness of the sacrifices made by those who serve. Boris Starling, Unconquerable: The Invictus Spirit
    Recovery

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