--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The game is not won by a pep talk on…" description: "\"The game is not won by a pep talk on Saturday. It's won by preparation of your club from Monday until game time. If they're not ready on Saturday, you'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg" --- # The game is not won by a pep talk on Saturday. It's won by… ![“The game is not won by a pep talk on Saturday. It's won by preparation of your club from Monday until game time. If they're not ready on Saturday, you're not going to get them ready by trying to inspire them with a dog-eat-dog sermon on that day.” quote by Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg) > “The game is not won by a pep talk on Saturday. It's won by preparation of your club from Monday until game time. If they're not ready on Saturday, you're not going to get them ready by trying to inspire them with a dog-eat-dog sermon on that day.” [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on consistent preparation, not a single motivational speech on game day. **In simple terms:** Preparation beats hype. Key Takeaway Focus on daily practice. Themes discipline teamwork preparation Mood determined serious Type motivational instructional When to use this quote - team training - season planning - coaching meetings - player development Key Concepts sports psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you embed preparation into daily routines? - What habits ensure readiness beyond motivation? A Different Perspective A single pep talk cannot fix systemic lack of readiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-time/) [Monday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monday/) [Monday Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monday-game-585410/) [Pep talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pep-talk/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Preparation Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation-club-585411/) [Saturday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday/) [Saturday Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-won-585412/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I have been accused of not taking seriously the FA Cup on Saturday. I have won four times the FA Cup. Who has won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/i-have-been-accused-of-not-taking-seriously-the-fa-cup-on-saturday-i/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [It's football all day on Sunday. I wish we had football every day; that would make me way happier. Why can't we have that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/it-s-football-all-day-on-sunday-i-wish-we-had-football-every-day-that/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I don't know if anyone's ever done that, where they do a big college game and then do a game in the NFL. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-don-t-know-if-anyone-s-ever-done-that-where-they-do-a-big-college/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [no more pep talks about believing in toads," Liza said. "Don't they turn into princeses when you kiss them?" Bonnie said. "Thats frogs," Liza…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-crusie/no-more-pep-talks-about-believing-in-toads-liza-said-don-t-they-turn/) [Jennifer Crusie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-crusie/) > [“Every morning I wake up and I tell myself this: It’s just one day, one twenty-four-hour period to get yourself through. I don’t know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/every-morning-i-wake-up-and-i-tell-myself-this-it-s-just-one-day-one/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Shiloh, but it sorely disappointed the Century editors. Written in Grant’s pithy style, it was arid and compact and read like a bloodless report.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/shiloh-but-it-sorely-disappointed-the-century-editors-written-in/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [“For my entire life, I had oscillated between fear at my worst moments and a sense of safety and stability at my best. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/for-my-entire-life-i-had-oscillated-between-fear-at-my-worst-moments/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [“What if he just bombs everyone again?" Ian asks, breaking the silence. "Just like he did with Omega Point?" "He won't," Warner says to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/what-if-he-just-bombs-everyone-again-ian-asks-breaking-the-silence/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Story telling or teachable moments, provides us with a vast reference base of real life antidotes for possible future problems. They not only entertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drexel-deal/story-telling-or-teachable-moments-provides-us-with-a-vast-reference/) [Drexel Deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drexel-deal/) > [“Kindness starts simply. An encouraging word. A loving gesture. A tender sentiment sent through the mail. A thoughtful small token. The gift of unhurried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-ehman/kindness-starts-simply-an-encouraging-word-a-loving-gesture-a-tender/) [Karen Ehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-ehman/) > [“I entered the fire and could have quit- Could have turned and walked away, Weeping each step for passed pain. I chose, instead, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-scott-campbell/i-entered-the-fire-and-could-have-quit-could-have-turned-and-walked/) [Adam Scott Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-scott-campbell/) > [“I tell Dylan I have to go to the bathroom. I shut the door and try to pee, but my dick's already sticking straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-tell-dylan-i-have-to-go-to-the-bathroom-i-shut-the-door-and-try-to/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [President Obama gave a speech about healthcare tonight, and yesterday he gave a pep talk to students. He told them that in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/president-obama-gave-a-speech-about-healthcare-tonight-and-yesterday/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [My thing is "You don't need anyone else to empower you; you can empower yourself." Whether it's a pep talk or putting on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/my-thing-is-you-don-t-need-anyone-else-to-empower-you-you-can-empower/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [Real optimism is not the pep talk you give yourself. It is earned through the labor involved in emotional housekeeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/real-optimism-is-not-the-pep-talk-you-give-yourself-it-is-earned/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) ## More by Ara Parseghian > [You know what it takes to win. Just look at my fist. When I make a fist, it's strong and you can't tear it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/you-know-what-it-takes-to-win-just-look-at-my-fist-when-i-make-a-fist/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I was a 52-year-old coach. But people don't realize I had 25 years as a head coach. Most coaches my age only had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-was-a-52-year-old-coach-but-people-don-t-realize-i-had-25-years-as/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I remember virtually everything about every loss. And the wins are hardly memorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-remember-virtually-everything-about-every-loss-and-the-wins-are/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [The 1973 team is real special. I had never coached against Bear Bryant. Alabama had never played Notre Dame. It was North against South;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-1973-team-is-real-special-i-had-never-coached-against-bear-bryant/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [The best way I could describe it at Notre Dame was that I was accepted as a member of the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-best-way-i-could-describe-it-at-notre-dame-was-that-i-was/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I became a head football coach when I was 27 years old at Miami of Ohio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-became-a-head-football-coach-when-i-was-27-years-old-at-miami-of/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/a-good-coach-will-make-his-players-see-what-they-can-be-rather-than/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I don't think I was a miracle man. Neither were Lou Holtz or Frank Leahy. We all found ways to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-don-t-think-i-was-a-miracle-man-neither-were-lou-holtz-or-frank/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [The harder you work, the less mistakes you make. The fewer mistakes you make, the better your chances of winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-harder-you-work-the-less-mistakes-you-make-the-fewer-mistakes-you/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [Whether you like it or not, you're a national figure after five games at Notre Dame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/whether-you-like-it-or-not-you-re-a-national-figure-after-five-games/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [Getting to the top of the mountain is a heck of a lot easier than staying there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/getting-to-the-top-of-the-mountain-is-a-heck-of-a-lot-easier-than/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I've been blessed in many ways, but none of the heights from football can ever compare to the depths you go through when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-ve-been-blessed-in-many-ways-but-none-of-the-heights-from-football/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [If you can hang in games by staying close defensively, then good things can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/if-you-can-hang-in-games-by-staying-close-defensively-then-good/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [I've missed the association with players and coaches but haven't missed the recruiting and the travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-ve-missed-the-association-with-players-and-coaches-but-haven-t/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) > [One of the reasons I never went into pro football was because I wanted my kids to grow up around an academic environment. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/one-of-the-reasons-i-never-went-into-pro-football-was-because-i/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) [Explore all 51 Ara Parseghian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) ## More Day quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) > [One day I woke up and Juventus wanted me, another Manchester United and what I know is that there were approaches made. But an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-jimenez/one-day-i-woke-up-and-juventus-wanted-me-another-manchester-united/) [Raul Jimenez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-jimenez/) > [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [For 11 straight years, I woke up pretty much every single day with nothing to do unless I created something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rife/for-11-straight-years-i-woke-up-pretty-much-every-single-day-with/) [Matt Rife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rife/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/) [Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/) > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) [Browse all 18,587 Day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The game is not won by a pep talk on Saturday. It's won by preparation of your club from Monday until game time. If they're not ready on Saturday, you're not going to get them ready by trying to inspire them with a dog-eat-dog sermon on that day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ara Parseghian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-saturday-it-s-won-by-preparation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Day" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-saturday-it-s-won-by-preparation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd8/ara-parseghian-13101_day_the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-sat_2453056.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The game is not won by a pep talk on Saturday. It's won by preparation of your club from Monday until game…” — Ara Parseghian", "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": "Ara Parseghian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The game is not won by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-saturday-it-s-won-by-preparation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/the-game-is-not-won-by-a-pep-talk-on-saturday-it-s-won-by-preparation/#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 } } ] } ```