--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a coach when I was getting…" description: "\"I had a coach when I was getting recruited say maybe you should play basketball at a Division III level, because you're not good enough to play footbal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg" --- # I had a coach when I was getting recruited say maybe you… ![“I had a coach when I was getting recruited say maybe you should play basketball at a Division III level, because you're not good enough to play football in college.” quote by Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg) > “I had a coach when I was getting recruited say maybe you should play basketball at a Division III level, because you're not good enough to play football in college.” [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on being advised to pursue a lower‑level sport because his talent wasn’t sufficient for a higher‑profile one, highlighting the tension between ambition and realistic assessment. **In simple terms:** He was told to play basketball at a lower level because he wasn’t good enough for college football. Key Takeaway Accept honest feedback and align goals with realistic strengths. Themes self‑assessment ambition career choices Mood reflective determined Type motivational advisory When to use this quote - college recruiting - career planning - sports decisions - personal development Key Concepts talent evaluation risk management personal growth Questions to Reflect On - Do you trust external assessments over your own aspirations? - How can you balance realistic limits with striving for higher goals? A Different Perspective Advice may undervalue potential and limit growth if taken rigidly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Play basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-basketball/) [Play football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-football/) ## Related quotes > [If the artist isn't having a great day or finds it all boring, my role becomes that of a coach. Getting the very best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-martin/if-the-artist-isn-t-having-a-great-day-or-finds-it-all-boring-my-role/) [Max Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-martin/) > [In high school, baseball was life. My senior year, I had the highest batting average on the team. I was one of the starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ramos/in-high-school-baseball-was-life-my-senior-year-i-had-the-highest/) [Anthony Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ramos/) > [The NBA? Never in my wildest dreams when I was playing in Division III basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vogel/the-nba-never-in-my-wildest-dreams-when-i-was-playing-in-division-iii/) [Frank Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-vogel/) > [I was a Division III kid whose dad wasn't a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-herman/i-was-a-division-iii-kid-whose-dad-wasn-t-a-coach/) [Tom Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-herman/) > [They say I couldn't play football, I was too small. They say I couldn't play basketball, I wasn't tall. They say I couldn't play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/they-say-i-couldn-t-play-football-i-was-too-small-they-say-i-couldn-t/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [I wanted to have a career in sports when I was young, but I had to give up the idea. I'm only six feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/i-wanted-to-have-a-career-in-sports-when-i-was-young-but-i-had-to/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I played softball and basketball growing up. I really wanted to play football but both parents said no. I was mad for a second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/i-played-softball-and-basketball-growing-up-i-really-wanted-to-play/) [Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/) > [They said I couldn't play football I was too small they said I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall they said I couldn't play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/they-said-i-couldn-t-play-football-i-was-too-small-they-said-i-couldn/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Baseball is the only game left for people. To play basketball, you have to be 7 feet 6 inches. To play football, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-veeck/baseball-is-the-only-game-left-for-people-to-play-basketball-you-have/) [Bill Veeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-veeck/) > [I love when people doubt me. I love when people don't think that I'm good enough to play at a certain level, not good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-love-when-people-doubt-me-i-love-when-people-don-t-think-that-i-m/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [I lived to play basketball. Growing up as a kid, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were my favorite team. The way they played,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-lived-to-play-basketball-growing-up-as-a-kid-bill-russell-and-the/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [I really didn't want to play basketball for the longest time, but I just wouldn't stop growing. But I always wanted to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/i-really-didn-t-want-to-play-basketball-for-the-longest-time-but-i/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I'm living my dream, getting to play in the NBA, getting to play basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-george/i-m-living-my-dream-getting-to-play-in-the-nba-getting-to-play/) [Paul George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-george/) > [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [I just started growing. And everyone said, 'You should probably play basketball.' So I said, 'All right. I'll give it a shot.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bennett/i-just-started-growing-and-everyone-said-you-should-probably-play/) [Anthony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bennett/) ## More by Adam Thielen > [For me, I'm just trying to keep getting better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/for-me-i-m-just-trying-to-keep-getting-better/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [I thought I was better at basketball, but obviously people didn't think so. But I loved them equally, whether it be baseball season, basketball,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-thought-i-was-better-at-basketball-but-obviously-people-didn-t/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [You have to be different on the field than you are at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/you-have-to-be-different-on-the-field-than-you-are-at-home/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [When we go out, we have our favorite places, and the great thing about Minnesota is that most Minnesotans are pretty respectful of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/when-we-go-out-we-have-our-favorite-places-and-the-great-thing-about/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [It's really nice to be able to go into the offseason and attack the training as soon as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/it-s-really-nice-to-be-able-to-go-into-the-offseason-and-attack-the/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [When there are things I see on tape that I think I can get better at, it frustrates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/when-there-are-things-i-see-on-tape-that-i-think-i-can-get-better-at/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [I have a lot of confidence. I'm a competitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-have-a-lot-of-confidence-i-m-a-competitor/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [Being able to put the film out there that I did and prove that I can be a starter in this league, it's put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/being-able-to-put-the-film-out-there-that-i-did-and-prove-that-i-can/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [The players have got to make the plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/the-players-have-got-to-make-the-plays/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [I don't think it's much different at this level. It just feels like playing high school football, college football. It's the same games, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-don-t-think-it-s-much-different-at-this-level-it-just-feels-like/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [You have to have a great offensive line, great quarterback and guys around you that believe in you and help you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/you-have-to-have-a-great-offensive-line-great-quarterback-and-guys/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [We know how hard it is to get to the playoffs in general, and then to get to the NFC Championship Game. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/we-know-how-hard-it-is-to-get-to-the-playoffs-in-general-and-then-to/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [As a competitor, as an athlete, you want the ball to come to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/as-a-competitor-as-an-athlete-you-want-the-ball-to-come-to-you/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [I just want to make sure that I'm competing every day and giving my best effort, because everything else just falls into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-just-want-to-make-sure-that-i-m-competing-every-day-and-giving-my/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) > [The guys who play at a high level probably think they are better than they are, and that's all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/the-guys-who-play-at-a-high-level-probably-think-they-are-better-than/) [Adam Thielen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) [Explore all 95 Adam Thielen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had a coach when I was getting recruited say maybe you should play basketball at a Division III level, because you're not good enough to play football in college.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Thielen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruited-say-maybe-you-should-play/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruited-say-maybe-you-should-play/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdb/adam-thielen-7032_basketball_i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruit_740245.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had a coach when I was getting recruited say maybe you should play basketball at a Division III level…” — Adam Thielen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Thielen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-thielen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had a coach when I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruited-say-maybe-you-should-play/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-thielen/i-had-a-coach-when-i-was-getting-recruited-say-maybe-you-should-play/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```