: Motivation Materials

The ball is like a microphone or spotlight: the more it's in your hands, the less anybody else has the chance to shine. If you start sharing, others can step up and contribute. If you can't live with that, you'll never win a championship.
     Unknown


At a certain level, there's always a tendency to belittle the opponent, to break them down. We try to avoid that. Honor the competition and remember that it is your opponents who make it possible for you to rise. If you tear your opponents apart, that hurts you in the long run.
     Unknown

One of the themes in the Uconn team meetings was "get comfortable with being uncomfortable." They talk a lot about getting outside of their comfort zone in various ways. Working on weak points, playing tougher opponents, pushing themselves physically are examples. Players can't play afraid or worried about making mistakes, that only leads to disaster.
     Member of University of Connecticut Mens' Basketball Coaching Staff

There are no short cuts for anywhere worth getting to.
     Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University


What is that universal thing that separates the winning team from the losing team?
 It’s called the score.
    Al McGuire, Retired Hall-of-Fame Coach -- Marquette University


Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle.
    Unknown


TEAM FIRST, the individual comes after.
    US Army slogan


The Smart take from the Strong.
    Pete Carrill, former basketball coach – Princeton University


We all want to be important in our jobs. However those who think they are the most
important part of the team should remember this: Life is like a bucket of water. We are a
part of the whole. But how big is the hole that is left when we take away a large cup out of
the bucket? The hole suddenly fills up and...so life goes. The nature of life is that there is
always someone who can and will take your place, when you think you are irreplaceable.
    Unknown


Success is that place in the road where preparation meets opportunity.
    Branch Rickey, Basketball Coach


Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer.
    Rick Pitino, University of Louisville


Failure is the only opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
    Henry Ford


There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group there is less competition there.
    Indira Ghandi


Approach the game with no preset agendas and you'll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts
    Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers


Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.  It is possible even to do the wrong thing enthusiastically and the situation still turn out okay.  Enthusiasm is that special.  If we have it we should be thankful for it; if we don’t, we should get on our knees and pray for it.
    Bob Knight, Texas Tech University


If what you have done yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today.
    Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University


Offense gets the highlights, Defense wins games, Rebounding wins championships
    Pat Summit, University of Tennessee


Great teamwork is the only way we create the breakthroughs that define our careers.
    Pat Riley, Miami Heat


Everyone wants to win, but not everyone is willing to prepare to win.
    Bob Knight, Texas Tech University


Be Proud.  Deserve Victory.  Right Now.
    Rick Pitino, University of Louisville


Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes.
    Bob Knight, Texas Tech University


Try not, do or do not ... there is no try.
    Yoda, Jedi Master


Those who have invested the most are usually the last to surrender.
    Unknown


Perfection is a road, not a destination...but if you chase perfection, you can catch excellence.
    Dean Smith, former basketball coach – University of North Carolinan


Strength invites peace. Weakness welcomes those who would do us harm.
    TV Commercial


Success is a result of consistent practice of winning skills and actions. There is nothing miraculous about the process. There is no luck involved. Amateurs hope, professionals work.
    Bill Russell, One of NBA's 50 Greatest Players


Every day your waste is one you can't make up.
    Unknown


Average is the best of the worst, and the worst of the best. Average is our nemesis.
    William Jones, Legion AAU Basketball Club


Champions work hard when no one is watching.
    Unknown


SUCCESS = Ability x Preparation x Effort x Will.
    Ralph Vernacchia


Three areas I look at when evaluating players are Production, Physical Ability, and Approach To The Game. Most times, everything you're about as a contributor to the team can be summed up by what I find in these.
    William Jones, Legion AAU Basketball Club


You are only a success at the moment that you do a successful act.
    Tex Winter, Los Angeles Lakers


The skills and drills in which we train would best be known as the art of winning.
    Pat Riley, Miami Heat


Learn more ways to help than to harm. Learn to use things and love people; not love things and use people.
    Chinese Philosophy


The only place "success" appears before "work" is in the dictionary.
    Unknown


Reasons athletes reach their potential: 1) High tolerance for hard work and pain.  2) High Basketball IQ, Student of the Game.  3) Unselfish, Thinks TEAM before self.  4) Has intangibles in her game, Makes hustle plays.  5) Good training habits and physical conditioning.  6) Self-confidence that comes from repetition and knowing you deserve to win because you have worked harder than the opponent.
    Unknown


Making or not-making an athletic team can be a part of the youth learning experience and one lesson should be that you can't always get what you want or succeed at everything you try. What matters at the end of all this then is not who to blame, or what went wrong; but how you respond to be ready again the next time.
    Melvin Smiley




And more to come!