Motivational speeches have been a source of inspiration (and a catalyst for change) for almost as long as humans have existed.<\/p>\n
From Alexander the Great, who encouraged his soldiers to stand up and continue fighting after a gruesome battle against the Paurava kingdom in 326 BC to George Washington\u2019s infamous resignation speech in 1784, the use of one\u2019s words and voice to inspire others has shaped history and greatly contributed to the world as we know it today.<\/p>\n
In the world of sports, speeches are used to motivate and inspire players, acting as an impetus that drives them to perform at their best.<\/p>\n
But motivational sporting speeches are not applicable to athletes alone. The themes that are shared in these speeches are universally relatable, making them relevant to individuals from all walks of life.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s overcoming adversity, rising to the challenge or the importance of teamwork, sports players, coaches, and other athletic professionals have an abundance of wisdom to share.<\/p>\n
Thus, in today\u2019s blog, we\u2019ll be sharing some of the best sports speeches and quotes from the past. We hope they inspire you as much as they inspire us!<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0Herb Brooks – 1980 Olympic Hockey Pre-Game Speech<\/strong><\/p>\n Herbert Paul Brooks was a hockey player and coach from Minnesota. He is best known for coaching the U.S. Olympic hockey team in 1980 to one of the greatest upsets in American sports history when they defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union at Lake Placid. The team was not expected to win since the Soviets had defeated the U.S. 10-3 in their final exhibition game at Madison Square Garden. But Brooks was not willing to go down without a fight, giving an extremely powerful speech before his players hit the ice \u2014 an address that many of his players credited for the team\u2019s victory. The speech was so memorable and moving it was featured in the blockbuster film, Miracle<\/em>, with Kurt Russell playing Brooks.<\/p>\n Below is a quote from Brooks\u2019 motivational sports speech:<\/strong><\/p>\n “Great moments are born from great opportunity. And that’s what you have here, tonight, boys. That’s what you’ve earned here tonight. One game. If we played ’em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It’s over. I’m sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw ’em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it.”<\/em><\/p>\n Click here to watch a clip from the movie Miracle<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, in which Kurt Russell reenacts this unforgettable moment.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 2.\u00a0Jim Valvano – 1993 ESPY Awards Speech<\/strong><\/p>\n Many of the world\u2019s most significant speeches came from a place of pain or hardship, and inspirational sports speeches are no different. Jim Valvano, coach of the North Carolina State University basketball team, gave such a speech at the Excellence in Sports Yearly Awards (ESPYs) in 1993 after he\u2019d been diagnosed with a terminal type of glandular cancer. The speech was meant to encourage his audience to live their lives to the fullest and eventually went down in history as one of the most important inspirational coach speeches of all time.<\/p>\n Here is a quote from his lecture:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThere are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”<\/em><\/p>\n You can <\/em><\/strong>watch the entire speech on YouTube here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 3.\u00a0Billy Donovan – 2006 NCAA Championship Game<\/strong><\/p>\n Billy Donovan was the Florida Gator\u2019s men\u2019s basketball team in 2006\u2014 a team that had struggled the year prior. Under Donovan\u2019s guidance, however, they were able to reach the championship game. Before the game started, Donovan spoke to his players, delivering a forceful sermon about seizing the moment.<\/p>\n Below is a quote from his speech, which is considered by many to be one of the most inspirational sports speeches ever given:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTonight is not about the past and it\u2019s not about the future. It\u2019s about right now, and you guys have got to want this night to last forever.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Watch the full clip of Billy Donovan\u2019s pregame speech <\/em><\/strong>here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n 4.\u00a0LeBron James – 2018 AAU North Coast Blue Chips Speech<\/strong><\/p>\n LeBron James is one of the greatest names in NBA history with three championships under his belt and three Olympic gold medals amongst a long list of other achievements. But one of James\u2019 most memorable speeches actually occurred while he was attending his 13-year-old son\u2019s Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) game in 2018. Before the game began, James took the opportunity to share one of his greatest lessons with the young players\u2014 that teamwork really does make the dream work. His words instantly became one of his most admired sports inspirational speeches.<\/p>\n Here is a quote from the address:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMany Hall of Famer\u2019s and some of the best players to ever play the game have come off the bench\u2014 or didn\u2019t play. That don\u2019t mean you aren\u2019t good. There are guys in the NBA that don\u2019t play. Does that mean they aren\u2019t good? No. They are playing a role. If you don\u2019t want a role, play tennis or play golf. Because then you can do whatever [expeletive] you want to do, and you\u2019ve got no one else to blame because it\u2019s an individual sport. But if you want to play a team sport, there\u2019s going to be things you\u2019ve got to give up to get what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n You can watch the clip in its entirety <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 5.\u00a0Dave Belisle – 2014 Little League World Series Speech<\/strong><\/p>\n Coaching a team is always a responsibility that mentors take seriously. But when you\u2019re coaching 12-year-old boys, that responsibility becomes even more heartfelt and profound. Dave Belisle knows this first-hand as he was the coach of the Cumberland, Rhode Island team that lost their championship Little League game to Jackie Robinson West of Chicago, Illinois in 2014. Seeing the defeat on his young player’s faces, Belisle gathered his team for some final words, which eventually went down in history as one of the most touching motivational sporting speeches in baseball history.<\/p>\n Quote:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe only reason why I’m shedding a tear is because this is the last time I’m going to end up coaching you guys. I’m going to bring back with me, and the coaching staff is going to bring back with them, something that no one other team can provide but you guys. That’s pride. Pride.<\/em><\/p>\n You’re going to take that for the rest of your life, what you provided for our town in Cumberland. You had the whole place jumping. You had the whole state jumping. You had New England jumping. You had ESPN jumping. Want to know why? They like fighters. They like sportsmen. They like guys who don’t quit. They like guys who play the game the right way.<\/em><\/p>\n If everyone would play baseball like the Cumberland Americans, this would be the greatest game. When you walk around this ballpark in the next couple of days, they’re going to look at you and say, “Hey, guys, you guys were awesome.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Watch the entire clip on Youtube <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n