File One—The Preseason

It has been said that teams are made during the season and players are made in the off-season. I have never liked the word off-season because it tends to send a message that when you are not in season you’re off. I have always preferred to call anytime out of season as the preseason. Sure, I encouraged my players to get away from the game and to play other sports. But I wanted them to think of anytime out of season as a preparation for the following year. The following quotes  are to help ensure that your athletes get the most out of their “preseasons”.
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File Two—The Beginning & Practice Quotes

The season starts, enthusiasm is high. The process begins. Tryouts. Early season practices are a time to set a tone for the upcoming season. No detail is too small. It is a time to encourage hard work, sacrifices, fundamentals, toughness and goals. The quotes in this section provide inspiration to get the most out of the start of the season and each and every practice that follows.
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File Three—Team Formation

One of the most important goals of any team sport is the formation of the team. Few things are as beautiful as a group of individual that give up selfish desires and act as one unit. All successful teams have good leaders and players who accept their roles. Getting everyone on the same page is one of the coach’s biggest challenges, especially in a society that often preaches a me-first attitude. A coach is wise if he does a little something everyday to help develop team chemistry. Here are a few quotes that may help.
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File Four—Before a Game

Apprehension, nervousness, doubt, confidence, excitement. All these characteristics are involved before a game. As the coach, you must make sure your players are ready every game. The words found here are designed to do just that.
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File Five—After a Win

Very few things are more comforting than a win. But coaches have to be careful that their team doesn’t become complacent after winning. Sometimes work habits diminish and players start to get a feeling of arriving when there is still much work to be done. As a coach you have to ensure that your players are focused everyday—especially following a win.
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File Six—After a Loss

Losing can be trying for the coach as well as the players. However, the coach must maintain his motivation and relay to the team that hope is not lost and there are bigger goals that must be met. The important thing is for one setback not to turn into several losses because of frustration, excuse making, lack of responsibilities or poor individual habits that may creep in. Here are some thoughts to help prevent that from happening.
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File Seven—Before a Big Game—The Rivalry Game

All games are big games, but let’s face it, some are bigger than others. Whether it’s your cross-town rival or a game for the conference championship, there are some games on the schedule that carry more significance than others. These games can also add a little more weight onto shoulders of the players and coaches. The quotes found here are to help keep the game in perspective and to properly prepare your team for the “big” game.
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File Eight—When Your Team is Favored to Win

One of the toughest tasks for any coach is to get his players ready for a game in which they are the favorite. Whether it against a team you have already beaten or a team in the bottom portion of the standings, getting players ready for these games is much harder than the big games. Here are some thoughts to help get your team ready for games they think they’re supposed to win.
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File Nine—When Your Team is the Underdog

It’s challenging to prepare for a game in which you are not the favorite. On one hand it can provide a huge motivational boost for your team, while on the other hand it can lead to a feeling of insecurity and a lack of confidence. Many teams are beaten before they step on the playing field because of preconceived notions or because of what happened in a previous game. Here are some words of advice to help prepare your team when they are the underdog.
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File Ten—Overcoming Adversity

Within every season there are difficult times that come along. It may be an injury to a key player, sickness or another type of misfortune that occurs. Successful teams handle adversity. As the coach you have to make sure your players don’t use adversity as an excuse. Here are some thoughts to help overcome hard times.
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File Eleven—The Mid-Season Doldrums & Avoiding Slumps

Midseason doldrums. We hope they never come but there are times when a team faces a slump. Players can lose enthusiasm and unless you have committed people in your program, they begin to tire of the daily routine. One key to success is to keep your team focused through the middle part of the season and avoid any type of slump. It’s easier to get your team excited at the beginning of the season and at playoff time. The challenge is to keep them excited during the middle of the season or if they hit a slump. Slumps often cause you to reevaluate and try new things. They can also cause players to lose enthusiasm and go away from the things they need to do to be successful. Here are some thoughts to help prevent that from happening.
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File Twelve—Dealing With Problems

Problems—we don’t want them but we all get them. It could be an upset parent, player or something worse—team dissension. If you coach long enough, you find yourself having to deal with situations that you’d rather not have to deal with. Keep a firm grip on the situation and use the following words of wisdom to help get through the predicament.
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File Thirteen—The Postseason

The playoffs. A time to survive and advance. Lose and go home. It is easy for players and coaches to change as tension begins to build when the playoffs start. The important thing is to stay focused, confident and keep doing things that have made your season a success. Here are a few quotes to help prepare your team for the postseason.
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File Fourteen—The Season’s End

Finding the right words for the end of the season is often difficult. Whether you’re feeling jubilation or dejection, saying the right thing after the journey has ended can have a powerful impact on the lives of your student-athletes. Encouraging them in other aspects of their lives can make a huge difference as some begin to prepare for life away from their sport.
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