Over The Hump – Motivational Quotes

An installment of motivational and inspirational quotes from athletes and coaches that have made their mark in the world of Sports.  Their successes are a testament of what can be achieved with proper mindset and hard work.


“It’s not the will to win that matters… everyone has that.
It’s the will to Prepare to Win that matters.”

Paul “Bear” Bryant  (Football Coach – University of Alabama)


“What to do with a mistake… Recognize it, Admit it, Learn from it, and Forget it!”
Dean Smith (Basketball Coach NC-Chapel Hill)
“The difference between the Impossible and the Possible lies in a person’s Determination.”
Tommy Lasorda (Coach Los Angeles Dodgers)
“Most people fail not because of lack of desire, but because of lack of commitment.”
Vince Lombardi (Coach Green Bay Packers)
“Nobody who ever Gave Their Best regretted it.”
George Halas  (Founder, Owner, & Coach Chicago Bears)
“Control what you can control. Don’t worry about what you can’t!”
J.J. Watt  (Houston Texans Defensive End)
“Ability may get you to the top, but it takes Character to stay there.”
John Wooden  (Hall of Fame NCAA Basketball Coach)
“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work any harder than you.”
Derek Jeter  (New York Yankees Shortstop)
“How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.”
Lou Holtz  (NCAA Football Player & Coach)
“Somewhere behind the athlete you’ve become and the hours of practice, and the coaches who have pushed you, is someone who fell in love with the game and never looked back.”
Mia Hamm  (Gold Medal Olympian Soccer)
“An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head.”
Emil Zatopek  (Gold Medal Olympian Runner)
“Don’t Let What You Cannot Do Interfere With What You Can Do!”
John Wooden  (Hall of Fame NCAA Basketball Coach)
“Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.”
Laird Hamilton  (Profession Surfer)
“What you lack in talent can be made up with Desire, Hustle, and Giving 110 percent all the time.”
Don Zimmer  (MLB Infielder & Manager)
“The five S’s of sports training are: Stamina, Speed, Strength, Skill, and Spirit… but the greatest of these is Spirit (attitude).”
Ken Doherty  (Pro Snooker Champion)
“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”
Vince Lombardi  (NFL Green Bay Coach)
“First become a winner in life. Then it’s easier to become a winner on the field.”
Tom Landry  (NFL Dallas Coach)