--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are making a little portion of their…" description: "\"We are making a little portion of their brains be sprinters; they are 100 percent football players, but for these purposes, they must learn the proper ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png" --- # We are making a little portion of their brains be… ![“We are making a little portion of their brains be sprinters; they are 100 percent football players, but for these purposes, they must learn the proper way to run.” quote by Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png) > “We are making a little portion of their brains be sprinters; they are 100 percent football players, but for these purposes, they must learn the proper way to run.” [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletes are trained to specialize, but sometimes need to adapt to new roles for specific tasks. **In simple terms:** Players must learn new skills for particular goals. Key Takeaway Adapt training to task demands. Themes training adaptation specialization Mood determined pragmatic Type motivational instructional When to use this quote - coaching sessions - team strategy - career transitions Key Concepts skill acquisition role flexibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance specialization with versatility? - When is it worth retraining? A Different Perspective May limit natural talent if over‑specialized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brains/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-players/) [Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/players/) [Sprinters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sprinters/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't really play a lot in college my first three years; that was 100 percent my fault. I wasn't really 100 percent all-in on football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kittle/i-didn-t-really-play-a-lot-in-college-my-first-three-years-that-was/) [George Kittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kittle/) > [I was in the top 1 percent of football players. Indie guys are in the bottom 95 percent of wrestlers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/i-was-in-the-top-1-percent-of-football-players-indie-guys-are-in-the/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I am basically turning football players into sprinters for a while. When we first talked about it, I didn't know how my expertise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/i-am-basically-turning-football-players-into-sprinters-for-a-while/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [You need to become more than one type of athlete. You have to be a sprinter, a weight man and a distance guy all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-o-brien/you-need-to-become-more-than-one-type-of-athlete-you-have-to-be-a/) [Dan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-o-brien/) > [How you start is important, very important, but in the end it is how you finish that counts. It is easier to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/how-you-start-is-important-very-important-but-in-the-end-it-is-how/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [When I was young, I was too slow. I thought I must learn to run fast by practicing to run fast, so I ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-zatopek/when-i-was-young-i-was-too-slow-i-thought-i-must-learn-to-run-fast-by-2/) [Emil Zatopek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-zatopek/) > [The poster boy for our superabled future is Oscar Pistorius, an increasingly famous South African sprinter who happens to have had both of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/the-poster-boy-for-our-superabled-future-is-oscar-pistorius-an/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [Twenty seconds before a race, there's absolute focus. The key thing is to achieve relaxation, but at the same to have absolute total control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-freeman/twenty-seconds-before-a-race-there-s-absolute-focus-the-key-thing-is/) [Cathy Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-freeman/) > [I realized that I was more of a sprinter than a marathon man. With a long, long project, I get bored easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-realized-that-i-was-more-of-a-sprinter-than-a-marathon-man-with-a/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [You learn to run like a sprinter, you'll be a great distance runner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-salazar/you-learn-to-run-like-a-sprinter-you-ll-be-a-great-distance-runner/) [Alberto Salazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-salazar/) > [Running with someone like Maurice Greene - competing shoulder to shoulder with him - and then running against Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/running-with-someone-like-maurice-greene-competing-shoulder-to/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [Im Jamaican, man. Im Jamaican first. You gotta understand thats where Im from. Thats home. That you can never take away from me. Im…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-bailey/im-jamaican-man-im-jamaican-first-you-gotta-understand-thats-where-im/) [Donovan Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-bailey/) > [To a sprinter, the hundred-yard dash is over in three seconds, not nine or ten. The first 'second' is when you come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/to-a-sprinter-the-hundred-yard-dash-is-over-in-three-seconds-not-nine/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [How you start is important, but it is how you finish that counts. In the race for success, speed is less important than stamina.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/how-you-start-is-important-but-it-is-how-you-finish-that-counts-in/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [The Champs-Elysees is like the world championships for sprinters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bennett/the-champs-elysees-is-like-the-world-championships-for-sprinters/) [Sam Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bennett/) ## More by Ato Boldon > [I feel like the torch has been passed to me. The question is what am I going to do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/i-feel-like-the-torch-has-been-passed-to-me-the-question-is-what-am-i/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [I think I'm so low key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/i-think-i-m-so-low-key/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [The first few weeks football players look at you like you are speaking a foreign language. My job is to get them to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/the-first-few-weeks-football-players-look-at-you-like-you-are/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [Peterson was the most coachable athlete I have had in my life, and I coach many athletes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/peterson-was-the-most-coachable-athlete-i-have-had-in-my-life-and-i/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [I am basically turning football players into sprinters for a while. When we first talked about it, I didn't know how my expertise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/i-am-basically-turning-football-players-into-sprinters-for-a-while/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [My performances have finally caught up with my ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/my-performances-have-finally-caught-up-with-my-ego/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [I've been way too blessed. Had too much fun, too many rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/i-ve-been-way-too-blessed-had-too-much-fun-too-many-rewards/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [Myself, Marion Jones and Michael Johnson all got married on the same day because it was the only point on the athletics' schedule we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/myself-marion-jones-and-michael-johnson-all-got-married-on-the-same/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [When the gun shoots, you got to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/when-the-gun-shoots-you-got-to-go/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [Someone 'big' will get thrown out of their Trials or at the Olympics. I would bet my house on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/someone-big-will-get-thrown-out-of-their-trials-or-at-the-olympics-i/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [This is the best thing that could've happened for the 2011 season - Bolt losing like this and having to go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/this-is-the-best-thing-that-could-ve-happened-for-the-2011-season/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) > [It's not about 'if', it's about 'when.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/it-s-not-about-if-it-s-about-when/) [Ato Boldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) [Explore all 13 Ato Boldon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/) ## More Ball player quotes > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [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 have friends in other industries but if I am training for a wrestling match, I would turn to the best wrestler to train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-have-friends-in-other-industries-but-if-i-am-training-for-a/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [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/) > [I competed every day as a professional football player... You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“I can’t wait to knock you up and have a whole team of little baseball players around this place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/i-can-t-wait-to-knock-you-up-and-have-a-whole-team-of-little-baseball/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [I'm a basketball player, so I want to do whatever I've got to do to be on the floor and I'm prepared for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-m-a-basketball-player-so-i-want-to-do-whatever-i-ve-got-to-do-to-be/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere. While others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-yourself-in-print-is-such-an-amazing-concept-you-can-get-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A lot of scouts and people are enamored with athleticism and youth. So they take that any day over mature, high-quality basketball players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/a-lot-of-scouts-and-people-are-enamored-with-athleticism-and-youth-so/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [I'm a baseball player. I've done this my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-m-a-baseball-player-i-ve-done-this-my-whole-life/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) Browse all 1,395 Ball player quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are making a little portion of their brains be sprinters; they are 100 percent football players, but for these purposes, they must learn the proper way to run.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ato Boldon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their-brains-be-sprinters-they-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ball player" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their-brains-be-sprinters-they-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/ato-boldon-36097_ball-player_we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their_2898659.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are making a little portion of their brains be sprinters; they are 100 percent football players, but for…” — Ato Boldon", "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": "Ato Boldon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ato-boldon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are making a little portion...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their-brains-be-sprinters-they-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ato-boldon/we-are-making-a-little-portion-of-their-brains-be-sprinters-they-are/#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 } } ] } ```