30 inspirational quotes from coaches to spark motivation and drive

30 inspirational quotes from coaches to spark motivation and drive

Ciku Njuguna
April 18, 2023 at 6:58 PM

The role of a coach must not be understated. In addition to instructing play-by-play strategy, they take on the part of guide and teacher to young players. Read on for an extensive collection of the most inspirational quotes from coaches.

What is Arsenal's famous slogan?
Arsene Wenger speaks on stage after winning the Laureus Lifetime Achievement award at the Salle des Etoiles, Sporting Monte-Carlo in February 2019 in Monaco. Photo by Simon Hofmann.
Source: Getty Images

Inspirational quotes from coaches to players keep up morale and psyche in both losing and winning situations. Additionally, most professional sports players join teams at an impressionable age and therefore benefit from guidance from coaches.

Inspirational quotes from football coaches

What are some good soccer coach quotes? This is a collection of motivational quotes about coaching from managers in various major leagues.

What was Arsene Wenger's famous quote? Arsene Wenger, one of the most successful football managers gained a reputable career. Here is a collection of his most famous extracts, including those in his autobiography, Arsène Wenger, My Life and Lessons in Red & White.

  1. “To be a good football player, technique matters, which you acquire when you are between seven and twelve. But it is not enough on its own. Being fearless, knowing how to take the initiative, showing solidarity, being a little crazy, having one hell of a passion, being resilient, and reliable.”
  2. "I do not mind and do not care. I am only concerned with what we do. We do not look at other teams. We focus on ourselves. We play with the same spirit and get stronger."
  3. “I believe the target in life should be to do anything so well that it becomes an art. What is the point of living if you live like an animal? What makes daily life interesting is that we try to transform it into something close to art.”
  4. “Passing the ball is communicating with another player. It is in the service of another person. For the pass to be good, the player has to place himself in the position of the player will receive it. It is an act of intelligence and generosity. I call it technical empathy.”
  5. “The role of a coach is to make the player understand everything that serves the game. To do this, he must speak to the child in the player, to the adolescent they were and to the adult they are.”

Manuel Pellegrini is one of the most successful football managers in La Liga. Here are some of his most inspiring take-aways on football, coaching and life.

What is the best football quote?
Pellegrini (R) receives the Miguel Munoz trophy in September 2022. (L) He looks on during a match between Real CF and Real Betis in October 2022. Photo by Octavio Passos and Oscar J. Barroso/AFP.
Source: Getty Images
  1. "Leading a group of players is leading a group of people with different lines of thinking. You have to be prepared and know more than football. You have to talk to the players, make them understand your expectations of them."
  2. "If you give players the time and space, they will score goals and make good decisions."
  3. "When I moved from a player to a coach, I evaluated myself and realised that I should improve my personality. I would fight (literally) with soccer players. You can not be like that. As a coach, you have to guide young players. You have to transmit calm.
  4. "The hunger for triumph is fundamental in getting results."
  5. "Life is like a building. It is only possible to achieve anything with a strong foundation. The family is the most important foundation one can have."

What are the best quotes by Sir Alex Ferguson? Retired coaching legend Sir Alex Ferguson was known for his exceptional winning strategies on the field. Here are some of his most potent bits on football from various sources, including his books Leading: Lessons in Leadership from the Legendary Manchester United Manager and Alex Ferguson, Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United.

What is the most famous football quote?
Retired Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson (L) and coach Brian Kidd (R) celebrate with the premiership trophy in May 1996 in Middlesbrough, England. Photo by Ben Radford/Allsport.
Source: Getty Images
  1. “Once you say farewell to discipline, you bid goodbye to success”
  2. “As a coach, I had to lift the expectations of players. The players should never give in. If you give in one time, you will give in twice.”
  3. “The most important element of every activity is to inspire a group to perform at their best. Teachers are the unsung heroes of any society.”
  4. “Experiencing defeat, and how a leader reacts to it, is essential in making a winner.”
  5. “I have always felt that triumphs were an expression of the consistent application of discipline.”

What are the most famous professional coaching quotes in the NBA?

NBA teams produce the most prolific athletes with global recognition, such as, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Giannis Antentokuonpo. Here are some of the most inspirational quotes from coaches and former athletes.

What is a famous basketball quote?
Pat Riley, former head coach for the NY Knicks gives a V sign to his players in a game against the Chicago Bulls in March 1995 at the Madison Square Garden in NY City. Photo by Simon Bruty/Allsport.
Source: Getty Images
  1. "Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better." - Pat Riley (LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Miami Heat)
  2. “The strength of the team is each member. The strength of each member is the team.” - Phil Jackson (NY Knicks, NJ Nets, Chicago Bulls, LA Lakers)
  3. “Players are human beings, not horses. You do not handle them. You work with them, coach them, teach them, and, most importantly, you listen to them.” - Red Auerbach (Washington Capitols, Blackhawks, Boston Celtics)
  4. "It is imperative to follow your heart and choose a profession you are passionate about. If you have not found that 'spark' yet, and are unsure about what you want to do, be persistent until you do." - Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors)
  5. “There are two options regarding commitment. You are either in or out. There is no such thing as in between.” - Pat Riley (LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Miami Heat)

Inspirational quotes from college basketball coaches

College basketball is a step that brings athletes closer to the NBA. Scroll down and look at some of the most powerful quotes about coaching that inspire excellence in athletes.

What are good coach quotes?
LSU Lady Tigers head coach, Kim Mulkey (C) holds up the championship trophy at American Airlines Center in April 2023 in Dallas, Texas. Photo by Ron Jenkins.
Source: Getty Images
  1. "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." - Bobby Knight (Texas Tech University)
  2. "Nothing will work unless you do." - John Wooden (University of California, LA)
  3. “A leader may be the most knowledgeable in the world, but if the players on his or her team cannot turn that knowledge into action, it means nothing.” - Mike Krzyzewski (Duke University)
  4. "Now we have a young group, and we must make sure we are patient with them. We can not get frustrated with them because they are very talented. They have to play and contribute." - Kim Mulkey - (Louisiana State University)
  5. “Quit? Quit? Too many people opt out and never discover their abilities because they fear failing. Learning to keep fighting in the face of potential failure, it gives you a larger skill set to succeed.” Pat Summitt (University of Tennessee)

Inspirational quotes from NFL coaches

What are good quotes for American football?
NFL legend George Halas conducts the pre-game coin toss before Super Bowl XIII at the Orange Bowl in January 1979 in Miami, Florida. Photo by Focus on Sport.
Source: Getty Images
  1. "Nobody ever regretted giving their best." - George Halas (Chicago Bears)
  2. When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less." - Paul Brown (Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns)
  3. “The ultimate goal is victory. If you refuse to work hard towards that aim, or if you keep yourself from achieving that goal, then you are cheating yourself.” - Paul Shula (Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Colts)
  4. "Give players enough guidance to make the decisions you want. Do not tell them what to do, but encourage them to do the best." - Jimmy Johnson (Miami, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins)
  5. "Success is not measured by money or power or social rank. Your discipline and inner peace measure your success." - Mike Ditka (Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints)

Inspirational quotes from college football coaches

  1. "You can not demand respect. You have to earn it." - Steve Seidler (Oregon State University)
  2. "I celebrate victories when I start walking off the field. By the time I get to the locker room, I am done celebrating." - Tom Osborne (University of Nebraska)
  3. "The only yardstick for success in our society has always been being a champion. No one remembers other things." - John Madden (Allan Hancock College)
  4. "Never quit. Set a goal, and do not quit until you attain it. When you do attain it, set another goal, and do not quit until you reach it." - Bear Bryant (Texas A& M University, University of Kentucky and the University of Alabama)
  5. "The only place where success appears before work is in the dictionary." - Vince Lombardi (Fordham University)

The most inspirational quotes from coaches keep players' psyches and morale high. The extracts are also full of wisdom and guidance on issues that athletes face in day to day life.

READ ALSO: A list of all NFL teams in alphabetical order

Sports Brief recently published an article listing all the National Football League teams. The list covers all teams in the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. Click on the link above to learn more about the complete list of your favourite football teams.

Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.