Sports have a way of inspiring us, just as some other things can. The thrill of competition, the adrenaline rush, and the sense of achievement that comes with working hard to be our best. However, many times, the words of wisdom from coaches, players, and sports enthusiasts help motivate us the most. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of over 80 sports game quotes that will inspire and motivate you. These quotes will help increase your sense of competition and hard work and encourage you to have that final sense of achievement.
Inspirational Sport Quotes
- “My attitude is that if you push me towards a weakness, I will turn that weakness into a strength.”
– Michael Jordan
- “Hard days are the best because that’s when champions are made.”
– Gabby Douglas
– Homer Rice
- “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”
– Fred Devito
- “If you only ever give 90% in training then you will only ever give 90% when it matters.”
– Michael Owen
- “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
– Muhammad Ali
- “Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it, and you’ll start believing it.”
– Jesse Owens
- “What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose.”
– Andre Agassi
- “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”
– John Wooden
Sports Mindset Quotes
- “Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.”
– Rocky Balboa
- “I think team first. It allows me to succeed, and it allows my team to succeed.”
– Lebron James
- “I may win and I may lose, but I will never be defeated.”
– Emmitt Smith
- “One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.”
– Kareem Abdul-Jabaar
- “A man who has no imagination has no wings.”
– Muhammad Ali
- “Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way.”
– Satchel Paige
- “You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”
– Babe Ruth
- “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.”
– Bobby Unser
- “Champions keep playing until they get it right.”
– Billie Jean King
- “In baseball and in business, there are three types of people. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”
– Tommy Lasorda
- “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”
– Bethany Hamilton
- “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.”
– Michael Phelps
- “If at first you don’t succeed, try doing what your coach told you to do the first time.”
– Unknown
- “The road to success runs uphill.”
– Willie Davis
- “Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit.”
– Mary Lou Retton
- “Most of us never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second.”
– William James
- “Do not let what you cannot interview with what you can do.”
– John Wooden
- “Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown.”
– Ross Perot
- “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination.”
– Usain Bolt
- “Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.”
– Lou Brock
Sports Quotes About Success and Winning
- “You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy.”
– Arthur Ashe
- “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, other make it happen.”
– Michael Jordan
- “If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion.”
– Mia Hamm
- “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.
Motivational Sports Quotes
- Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” (Michael Jordan).
- „If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.“ (Henry Ford)
- „Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, working together is success.“ (Henry Ford)
- „What does not benefit the swarm does not benefit the individual bee.“ (Marc Aurel).
Famous sportsperson Quotes
- „Dedication makes dreams come true.“ (Kobe Bryant)
- „I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.“ (Michael Jordan)
- „Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen!“ (Michael Jordan)
- „I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost more than 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot – and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.“ (Michael Jordan)
- „Life is too short to be miserable.“ (Dirk Nowitzki)
- „If you give everything, you can’t blame yourself for anything.“ (Dirk Nowitzki).
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Short Inspirational Sports Quotes
- “You never lose until you quit trying.” –Mike Ditka
- “The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am.” –Denis Waitley
- “If you train hard, you’ll not only be hard, but you’ll be hard to beat.” –Herschel Walker
- “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” –William Arthur Ward
- “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” –Satchel Paige
- “It is not the size of the man, but the size of his heart that matters.” –Evander Holyfield
- “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.” –Jerry Rice
- “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” –Michael Jordan
- “Success isn’t owned, it’s leased. And rent is due every day.” –J.J. Watt.
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Sports Quotes About Teamwork
- “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”
– Michael Jordan, professional basketball player - “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
– Henry Ford, American industrialist - “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”
– Henry Ford, American industrialist - “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
– Henry Ford, American industrialist - “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
– Helen Keller, activist - “Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”
– Patrick Lencioni, team management author - “Unity is strength. . . when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”
– Mattie Stepanek, American poet - “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
– Isaac Newton, English physicist - “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.”
– H.E. Luccock, American Methodist minister
Hard Work Quotes about Sports
- “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
– Michael Jordan
- “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.”
– Arnold Palmer
- “Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.”
– Matt Biondi
- “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.”
– Jerry Rice
- “We all have dreams. But, to make dreams come true, it takes an awful lot of determination, self-discipline, and effort.”
– Mark Spitz
- “Driven by the moral imperative of paying the price to be great.”
– Vince Lombardi
- “One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it.”
– Knute Rockne.
Sports Leadership Quote
- Earn your Leadership every day.” – Michael Jordan
- “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.” – Vernon Law
- The most important thing in coaching is communication. It’s not what you say as much as what they absorb.” – Red Auerbach
- “Individuals make the team. How they think and what they do is important to the team. It’s important who these people are.” – Nick Saban
- “Players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Pat Summitt
- “Being a good teammate isn’t about recognition. I do it because it makes me whole and complete.” – Dwyane Wade.
Sports Quotes About Life, Adversity, and Overcoming Failure.
- It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”
-Muhammad Ali (World Heavyweight Champion Boxer) - “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”
– Charles F. Kettering (Famous American Inventor) - “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.”
– Vernon Law (Former Pirates pitcher) - “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.”
– William A. Ward (Inspirational Writer) - “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.”
-George Herman “Babe” Ruth (Baseball Legend) - “Relax? How can anybody relax and play golf? You have to grip the club, don’t you?”
– Ben Hogan (Golf Great) - “Concentration is a fine antidote to anxiety.”
– Jack Nicklaus (Golf Great)
Conclusion
Whether you’re a professional athlete or just a weekend warrior, these quotes are sure to inspire you to be your best and never give up on your dreams. So next time you’re tired or just need a little motivation, return to these quotes and let the wisdom of the sports world propel you forward. If you have anybody engaging in sports that you want to encourage or motivate, these quotes on a greeting card will be a superb idea, and this can go in line with one of two sports gift items from the Callie store. A perfect gift item will go a long way toward further encouraging and motivating a sports person in the right direction.