Football Quotes by Mike Krzyzewski

I hated to lose.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Don't worry about losing. Think about winning.

— Mike Krzyzewski

With me and basketball, it became part of me.

— Mike Krzyzewski

A team is a fist-not five fingers.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Play and practice like you are trying to make the team.

— Mike Krzyzewski

When you win, sometimes it overshadows a poor performance.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Players' attention spans get less and less as they progress.

— Mike Krzyzewski

I love practice. It is when a coach exercises the most control over the improvement of his or her team.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Everybody wants to take responsibility when you win, but when you fail, all these fingers are pointing.

— Mike Krzyzewski

If you have talent with teamwork, you've got a chance to be a championship team.

— Mike Krzyzewski

If a team cannot perform with excellence at a moment's notice, they probably will fail in the long run.

— Mike Krzyzewski

The worst thing we can do is put the (other) team in a one-and-one.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Our goal is not to win. It's to play together and play hard. Then, winning takes care of itself.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Leaders have to search for the heart on a team, because the person who has it can bring out the best in…

— Mike Krzyzewski

...you can't play any defense if the other team is on the foul line.

— Mike Krzyzewski

A leader may be the most knowledgeable person in the world, but if the players on his team cannot translate that knowledge…

— Mike Krzyzewski

A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist.…

— Mike Krzyzewski

I was very pleased with the entire selection process. The manner in which it was conducted included all parts of United States'…

— Mike Krzyzewski

I think coaching is confused at times as being an arrow that only goes to a player. Those players send arrows back…

— Mike Krzyzewski

Sometimes in a defeat, you can set the stage for future victory. I wanted them to feel good about what they had…

— Mike Krzyzewski

When I had troubles, I'd go out with basketball - you can do it by yourself, too. So you'd go out and…

— Mike Krzyzewski

You start developing a championship attitude by, first of all, telling kids that they are really good and that they have the…

— Mike Krzyzewski

People want to be on a team. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to be in…

— Mike Krzyzewski

When you are speaking to your team after a game, never talk about the kid who was the star of the game.…

— Mike Krzyzewski

During the season, your team should be led with exuberance and excitement. You should live the journey. You should live it right.…

— Mike Krzyzewski

I didn't miss any games, but Coach Knight came out and spent three days with my family in Chicago when my dad…

— Mike Krzyzewski

There are five fundamental qualities that make every team great: communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring and pride. I like to think of…

— Mike Krzyzewski

People have to be given the freedom to show the heart they possess. I think it’s a leader’s responsibility to provide that…

— Mike Krzyzewski

Talent is important. But the single most important ingredient after you get the talent is internal leadership. It's not the coaches as…

— Mike Krzyzewski

It's not like we have not had close games. We've just been able to win them, and as a result, the reality…

— Mike Krzyzewski

Believe that the loose ball that you are chasing has your name wirtten on it.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Goals should be realistic, attainable, and shared among all members of the team

— Mike Krzyzewski

You don't just be a team. You become a team. Through tough games you find that you need each other

— Mike Krzyzewski

Each group and each youngster is different. As a leader or coach, you get to know what they need.

— Mike Krzyzewski

The life expectancy of a team is about eight months. Then the next year, it's a whole new team.

— Mike Krzyzewski

Encourage members of your team to take the initiative and act on their own.

— Mike Krzyzewski

When you cleanse yourself of a big victory, you may open yourself up to the opportunity for an even bigger victory

— Mike Krzyzewski

When you first assemble a group, it's not a team right off the bat. It's only a collection of individuals

— Mike Krzyzewski

Champions play as they practice. Create a consistency of excellence in all your habits.

— Mike Krzyzewski

You develop a team to achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. All of us alone are weaker, by far, than if…

— Mike Krzyzewski