Sportsmanship Quotes

• Sportsmanship is the ethical and moral dimension of sports. It is demonstrated by a number of attributes and attitudes such as fair play, respect for the rules and traditions of the sport and various traits of good character including integrity (abiding by the letter and spirit of the rules and concepts of honor); demonstrated respect for others including teammates, opponents, officials and spectators; accountability, self-control, and graciousness in victory and defeat.

  Michael Josephson

  Sports, Respect, Attitude

  77 Copy quote

• Good sportsmanship goes beyond the game; it starts with respect.

  Tommy Hilfiger

  Games, Good Sportsmanship

  "Hilfiger vs Nadal". Vanity Fair interview, www.vanityfair.com. September 22, 2015.

  68 Copy quote

  Show source

• The most important lesson I've learned from sports is how to be not only a gracious winner, but a good loser as well. Not everyone wins all the time, as a matter of fact, no one wins all the time. Winning is the easy part, losing is really tough. But, you learn more from one loss than you do from a million wins. You learn a lot about sportsmanship.

  Amy Van Dyken

  Sports, Failure, Learning

  78 Copy quote
• 

  Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Basketball, Sports

  Michael Jordan (1994). “I can't accept not trying: Michael Jordan on the pursuit of excellence”

  90 Copy quote

  Show source
• 

  Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

  Xunzi

  Inspiring, Leadership, Teacher

  287 Copy quote

• One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.

  Knute Rockne

  Inspirational, Motivational, Positive

  82 Copy quote

• If character is what you do when no one is watching, then sportsmanship is that conduct with everybody watching.

  Bob Ley

  Sports, Character, Ifs

  44 Copy quote

• Struggle and survival, losing and winning, doesn't matter. It's entering the race that counts. You enter, you can win, you can lose .... but it's all about entering the race.

  Pam Grier

  Struggle, Winning, Race

  45 Copy quote

• Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Inspirational, Motivational, Cute

  79 Copy quote

• If you win through bad sportsmanship that's no real victory.

  Babe Didrikson Zaharias

  Baseball, Motivational Sports, Real

  40 Copy quote

• Sportsmanship is that quality of honor that desires always to be courteous, fair, and respectful, and it is interpreted in the conduct of players, spectators, coaches, and school authorities.

  Fielding H. Yost

  School, Player, Honor

  25 Copy quote

• Sports is a moral undertaking because it requires of participants, and it schools spectators in the appreciation of, noble things - courage, grace under pressure, sportsmanship.

  George Will

  Sports, Appreciation, School

  George F. Will (2003). “With a Happy Eye, But...: America and the World, 1997--2002”, p.50, Simon and Schuster

  38 Copy quote

  Show source
• 

  I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.

  Michael Jordan

  Inspirational, Motivational, Change

  "I Can't Accept Not Trying : Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence". Book by Michael Jordan (p. 129), 1994.

  144 Copy quote

  Show source

• The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.

  Vince Lombardi

  Inspirational, Motivational, Basketball

  Vince Lombardi (2012). “What it Takes to be Number One”, p.70, Thomas Nelson Inc

  62 Copy quote

  Show source

• Remember that sports are meant to be fun. Don't let someone make the sport unfun for you.

  A. J. Kitt

  Success, Sports, Fun

  10 Copy quote

• Victories in life come through our ability to work around and over the obstacles that cross our path. We grow stronger as we climb our own mountains.

  Marvin J. Ashton

  Life, Motivational, Victory

  Marvin J. Ashton (1982). “Ye Are My Friends”, Shadow Mountain

  31 Copy quote

  Show source

• Competition is great for everyone. Sports can teach you so much at an early age, including camaraderie and sportsmanship. Competition aspect is something I've always been big on - I always wanted to compete in something. It was swimming for many years, then I moved on to basketball. I had to find a way to channel my competitive energy, so I'm lucky that basketball worked out for me.

  Tim Duncan

  Basketball, Sports, Swimming

  Interview with Josh Staph, www.stack.com. January 1, 2007.

  32 Copy quote

  Show source
• 

  Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

  John Wooden

  Inspirational, Success, Basketball

  John Wooden, Jack Tobin, Bill Walton (2004). “They Call Me Coach”, McGraw Hill Professional

  1399 Copy quote

  Show source

• Sportsmanship is making sure you have respect for the guy you're playing across from.

  Warren Moon

  Guy

  10 Copy quote

• I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 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

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  320 Copy quote

• Good sportsmanship means treating others with respect. I consider myself a pretty good sport.

  Tommy Hilfiger

  Sports, Mean, Treating Others

  "Hilfiger vs Nadal". Vanity Fair interview, www.vanityfair.com. September 22, 2015.

  29 Copy quote

  Show source

• Follow your dreams as long as you live! Never be afraid to go out on the limb to live up to your expectations. Always do things your way and Have Fun!

  Picabo Street

  Dream, Fun, Expectations

  30 Copy quote

• Pride makes us do things well. But it is love that makes us do them to perfection.

  H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

  Pride, Perfection, Wells

  21 Copy quote

• Sweat plus sacrifice equals success.

  Charlie Finley

  Success, Softball, Sports

  41 Copy quote

• Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

  John Wooden

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  "This Speech Was Given Before The #4Women4AllWomen Run" by Powdered Feet, womensrunning.competitor.com. January 25, 2017.

  212 Copy quote

  Show source