By Maxime Lagacé
Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.
Top 10 Quotes – Short – Inspirational – Motivational – For Coaches – For Athletes – Visuals – Takeaways – Further Readings
Here are 100 of the best coaching quotes.
As a coach myself, I couldn’t help but find inspiration from the greatest who ever lived:
- John Wooden
- Vince Lombardi
- Alex Ferguson
- Pat Summitt
- Bill Belichick
- Scotty Bowman
- Phil Jackson
- And many more
So if you’re a coach or leader, I guarantee you’ll find valuable insights:
- How to help athletes reach their full potential
- The importance of preparation and high standards
- The value of teamwork, support, and humility
Are you ready to learn, grow, and be a better coach?
Let’s begin!
Top 10 Coaching Quotes
Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their growth. John Whitmore
See the light in others, and treat them as if that is all you see. Wayne Dyer
There are no big things, only a logical accumulation of little things done at a very high standard of performance. John Wooden
A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life. John Wooden
All coaching is, is taking a player where he can’t take himself. Bill McCartney
Coaching is simplicity. It’s getting players to play better than they think they can. Tom Landry
Creating more leaders is the only true leadership. Maxime Lagacé
The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves. Joseph Campbell
The purpose of coaching is to close the gap between potential and performance. Keith Webb
Coaching’s not a job, it’s a privilege. Lee Corso
Short Coaching Quotes
It’s not how big you are, it’s how big you play. John Wooden
Whatever it takes to win. Pat Riley
Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone. John Wooden
The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital. Joe Paterno
Giving yourself permission to lose guarantees a loss. Pat Riley
Winners are not born, they are self-made. Pat Summitt
Blame no one. Bill Parcells
One of my principles is ‘Don’t overcoach.’ Bill Bowerman
Every boo on the road is a cheer. Scotty Bowman
Preparedness is the ultimate confidence builder. Vince Lombardi
Look after your people. Red Auerbach
I’ve never played for a draw in my life. Alex Ferguson
Strive for perfection, but settle for excellence. Don Shula
Right after the game, say as little as possible. Tom Landry
Talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling. Bill Belichick
Confidence comes from being prepared. John Wooden
Champions are brilliant at the basics. John Wooden
Inspirational Coaching Quotes
What we can control is our performance and our execution, and that’s what we’re going to focus on. Bill Belichick
Coaching is making men do what they don’t want, so they can become what they want to be. Tom Landry
A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are. Ara Parseghian
It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit. John Wooden
We had a virus that infected everyone at United. It was called winning. Alex Ferguson
What you’re going to leave this earth is the influence on others. Joe Gibbs
Coaching is the bridge that connects untapped potential to extraordinary achievements. Maxime Lagacé
The more you prepare beforehand, the more relaxed and creative and effective you’ll be when it counts. Bill Parcells
Winning is fun… Sure. But winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point. Never letting up is the point. Never being satisfied with what you’ve done is the point. Pat Summitt
It is what it is. But, it will be what you make it. Pat Summitt
A coach is someone that sees beyond your limits and guides you to greatness. Michael Jordan
Every single player matters. Every single player can change the course of the game. Bill Belichick
I hate to speak about individuals. Players don’t win you trophies, teams win trophies, squads win trophies. Jose Mourinho
The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team. Phil Jackson
Competitive sports are played mainly on a five-and-a-half inch court, the space between your ears. Bobby Jones
We have got to use every opportunity to improve individually so we can improve collectively. Nick Saban
The importance of repetition until automaticity cannot be overstated. Repetition is the key to learning. John Wooden
If you train badly, you play badly. If you work like a beast in training, you play the same way. Pep Guardiola
If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. Vince Lombardi
Motivational Coaching Quotes
To have long term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way. Pat Riley
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. John Wooden
The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual. Vince Lombardi
Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. Pat Riley
Coaching is taking a player where they can’t take themselves. José Mourinho
Losing doesn’t make me want to quit. It makes me want to fight that much harder. Bear Bryant
The key is not the will to win… everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important. Bobby Knight
Here’s how I’m going to beat you. I’m going to outwork you. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. Pat Summitt
Today, you’ve got a decision to make. You’re gonna get better or you’re gonna get worse, but you’re not gonna stay the same. Which will it be? Joe Paterno
Don’t ever let good enough be good enough. Bill Parcells
The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there. Vince Lombardi
Losing is a powerful management tool so long as it does not become a habit. Alex Ferguson
Champions behave like champions before they’re champions; they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners. Bill Walsh
If you allow yourself to settle for anything less than number one, you are cheating yourself. Don Shula
A champion is simply someone who did not give up when he wanted to. Tom Landry
If you want to change your life you have to raise your standards. Tony Robbins
Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. If you can shrug off a loss, you can never be a winner! Vince Lombardi
Apply yourself everyday to just becoming a little bit better. John Wooden
Coaching Quotes For Coaches And Leaders
A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden
Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. John Wooden
The eight laws of learning are explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. John Wooden
You haven’t taught until they’ve learned. John Wooden
Great leaders are always out front with a banner, instead of behind with a whip. John Wooden
I am not dealing with footballers, I am dealing with people. They have fears and worry about failing and making fools of themselves in front of 80,000 people. I have to make them see that without each other they are nothing. Pep Guardiola
Although I don’t want to intimidate kids, I am very demanding. Pat Summitt
Once you have a plan, you must sell it to the players. Joe Gibbs
You have to be able to psychologically help your players, support-wise, be in touch with them. Phil Jackson
Coaching is a service. We serve our clients and have their well-being as the higher priority. Michael J. Marx
Praise in public; criticize in private. Vince Lombardi
Employees can thrive in an environment where they know exactly what is expected of them – even when those expectations are very high. Bill Walsh
You don’t win games as a coach during games. You win games as a coach before games. Players win during games, not coaches. Red Auerbach
Stand up for your players. Show them you care on and off the court. Red Auerbach
Probably my best quality as a coach is that I ask a lot of challenging questions and let the person come up with the answer. Phil Dixon
As a coach, your high standards of performance, attention to detail and – above all – how hard you work set the stage for how your players perform. Don Shula
Coaching is the art of influencing people’s behavior to bring out the best in them. James Flaherty
He who is not a good servant will not be a good master. Plato
Coaching Quotes For Athletes, Players, And Students
Believe deep down in your heart that you’re destined to do great things. Joe Paterno
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Neale Donald Walsch
Don’t just stand back and play the way you’re coached. A great player must rise to the occasion and turn the game around on his own. Joe Paterno
Confidence is what happens when you’ve done the hard work that entitles you to succeed. Pat Summitt
Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself. Bear Bryant
If they don’t have a winning attitude, I don’t want them. Bear Bryant
The key to teamwork is to learn a role, accept a role, and strive to become excellent playing it. Pat Riley
Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today. John Wooden
The kids with the less talent become the better athletes because they’re more dedicated to achieving their full potential. Red Auerbach
The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others. Don Shula
Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better. John Wooden
Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there. John Wooden
The athlete makes himself, the coach doesn’t make the athlete. Bill Bowerman
Never lie; never cheat; never steal. Don’t whine; don’t complain; don’t make excuses. John Wooden
If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. Fred Devito
Don’t underestimate yourself. You are capable of more than you can ever imagine. Les Brown
I will forgive if the players cannot get it right, but not if they do not try hard. Pep Guardiola
Conclusion
I won 1,098 games, and eight national championships, and coached in four different decades. But what I see are not the numbers. I see their faces. Pat Summitt
Visual For Coaching Quotes
I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities. Bob Nardelli
Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them. Timothy Gallwey
A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be. Tom Landry
Visuals by Rachel Smith (Website, LinkedIn)
Key Takeaways
- Unleashing potential and fostering growth: Coaching is about guiding others to realize their full potential, pushing past their limitations. It nurtures a mindset of continuous self-improvement and personal growth.
- Commitment to excellence and preparation: Consistent success stems from thorough preparation and mastery of the fundamentals. It’s also about upholding high standards in every action, both on and off the field.
- Character building and team spirit: Effective coaching prioritizes character, humility, and teamwork. The more each individual selflessly contributes to the team, the greater the collective success.
- Empowerment and individual support: Coaches go beyond the game to inspire and support players, acknowledging their unique qualities and helping them see their true potential.
- Resilience and a champion’s mindset: True champions are forged through resilience, with a commitment to growth and improvement, no matter the obstacles.
Further Readings
- Topic: Motivation
- 100+ Powerful Motivational Quotes For Success
- 100 Resilience Quotes To Increase Mental Toughness
- 100 Adversity Quotes To Improve Your Willpower
- 81 Motivational Quotes For Students To Study Hard
I hope you enjoyed these inspiring coaching quotes.
If you did, please share them with a friend today!
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