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John Wooden Quotes about Sports

All John Wooden Quotes Accomplishment Achievement Adversity Art Basketball Being The Best Blame Caring Challenges Change Character Choices Coaches Coaching Criticism Defeat Determination Discipline Effort Energy Enthusiasm Failing Feelings Fighting Fun Giving Graduation Gratitude Hard Work Heart Helping Others Inspiration Inspirational Integrity Journey Joy Kindness Leadership Life Listening Losing Love Loyalty Lying Making Mistakes Mentoring Motivation Motivational Opportunity Passion Past Perfection Perseverance Planning Positive Positivity Preparation Progress Purpose Repetition Reputation Responsibility Risk Role Models Running Sacrifice Selfishness Sports quotes Sportsmanship Success Talent Teaching Team Teamwork Today Understanding Winning Wisdom Worry Wrestling

A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.

A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.

Basketball, Sports, Teamwork

Don't give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you.

Sports, Dream, Perseverance

John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.141, B&H Publishing Group

Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, the habits you are developing now will be with you for the rest of your life.

Sports, Rest Of Your Life, You Like It

Hustle makes up for many a mistake.

Sports, Mistake, Hustle

Many ... have tremendous God-given gifts, but they don't focus on the development of those gifts. Who are these individuals? You've never heard of them- and you never will .

Sports, Focus, Development

It takes time to create excellence. If it could be done quickly, more people would do it.

Sports, People, Excellence

Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters need good models more than they need critics. It's one of a parent's greatest responsibilities and opportunities.

Inspirational, Motivational, Sports

John Wooden (2011). “Wooden: A Legacy in Words and Images (EBOOK)”, p.5, McGraw-Hill Professional

Others may have more ability than you, they may be larger, faster, quicker, better jumpers ... but no one should be your superior in respect to team spirit, loyalty, enthusiasm, cooperation, determination, industriousness, fight effort, and character.

Sports, Loyalty, Determination

It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.

Basketball, Sports, Perseverance

"The Graduation Speech I Never Got to Give" by Laura Myers, ndsmcobserver.com. May 20, 2011.

Ability is a poor man's wealth.

Motivational, Sports, Men

John Wooden (2013). “Quotes from Coach John Wooden: Winning with Principle”, p.82, B&H Publishing Group

Why can't we have patience and expect good things to take time?

Sports, Good Things, Having Patience

Discipline of others isn't punishment. You discipline to help, to improve, to correct, to prevent, not to punish, humiliate, or retaliate.

Inspirational, Sports, Athlete

One of my constant reminders was, "End practice on a happy note." I wanted the boys to want to come out to practice, and I wanted them to get a certain amount of pleasure out of basketball. It's a game. It should be fun. So I always tried to counterbalance any criticism in practice with a bit of praise. I wanted my players to feel that the worst punishment I could give them was to deny them the privilege of practicing. If they did not want to practice, I did not want them there.

Sports, Fun, Boys

"They Call Me Coach".

I think that in any group activity - whether it be business, sports, or family - there has to be leadership or it wont be successful.

Sports, Successful, Thinking

Decisions are more apt to be accepted when you've listened to suggestions first. I wanted them to see the reason behind what I asked of them, not to do things just because I said so.

Sports, Decision, Suggestions

An effective leader develops the ability to correctly identify the pertinent detail or details - incidentals in a market, industry or sport that might create an incremental advantage.

Sports, Leader, Details

If we, as coaches, aren't teachers, we are nothing

Sports, Teacher, Coaches

I don't believe in looking back. If you make a decision that you think is the proper one at a time, then that's the correct decision.

Motivational, Sports, Believe

The purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to correct.

Sports, Discipline, Purpose

It is normal to enjoy praise and dislike criticism. True character is when you prevent either from affecting you in a negative matter.

Sports, Character, Criticism

It is difficult for young players to learn - because of the great emphasis on records - but, ideally, the joy and frustration of sport should come from the performance itself, not the score. While he is playing, the worst thing a player can think about in terms of concentration - and therefore of success - is losing. The next worst is winning.

Sports, Frustration, Winning

Dictators lead through fear; good coaches do not.

Sports, Courage, Dictator

I constantly caution our teams: 'Play your game, just play your game. Eventually, if you play your game, stick to your style, class will tell in the end.' This does not mean that we will always outscore our opponent, but it does insure that we will not beat ourselves.

Sports, Team, Mean

John Wooden, Jack Tobin, Bill Walton (2004). “They Call Me Coach”, McGraw Hill Professional

I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs.

Inspirational, Sports, Athlete

John Wooden (2011). “Wooden: A Legacy in Words and Images (EBOOK)”, p.1, McGraw-Hill Professional

A Dominican monk, Father Henri Didon, used it as a watchword for his pupils in sports at Arcueil College in Paris. Baron Pierre De Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, made it the Olympic Games ideal adopted at the Antwerp Games in 1920. I never mentioned winning to my players. I mentioned constantly that all I wanted them to do was the best they could. If they're good enough, the score will be to their liking; if they're not, it won't be but that's nothing to hang their head about. Sometimes the other fellow is just better than you are.

Sports, Father, Winning

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