--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It wasn't until I was about 16 that I…" description: "\"It wasn't until I was about 16 that I began to grow and develop as a player.\" — Jaap Stam" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg" --- # It wasn't until I was about 16 that I began to grow and… ![“It wasn't until I was about 16 that I began to grow and develop as a player.” quote by Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg) > “It wasn't until I was about 16 that I began to grow and develop as a player.” [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) ## 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 personal growth beginning in adolescence, emphasizing early development in skill. **In simple terms:** He notes that his football abilities started to form at 16. Key Takeaway Early experiences shape later expertise. Themes sports personal development growth career Mood motivational reflective inspirational Type personal career When to use this quote - youth sports programs - academy training - personal coaching Key Concepts skill acquisition mentorship Questions to Reflect On - What early experiences shaped your abilities? - How can late starters catch up? A Different Perspective Later development may also be crucial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Whenever you set a goal of any kind, you will have to grow and develop to the point where you are ready to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/whenever-you-set-a-goal-of-any-kind-you-will-have-to-grow-and-develop/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [People alone of all the resources can grow and develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/people-alone-of-all-the-resources-can-grow-and-develop/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [I have a tremendous desire to learn, and to grow, and to develop whatever I have that will make for any kind of improvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-welk/i-have-a-tremendous-desire-to-learn-and-to-grow-and-to-develop/) [Lawrence Welk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-welk/) > [It's about continuing to develop as a player and continuing to get better and that's something that I'm hoping to do every single year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-siakam/it-s-about-continuing-to-develop-as-a-player-and-continuing-to-get/) [Pascal Siakam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-siakam/) > [I only ask that I am taught certain things and I develop as a player, so when the time comes I can help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-agholor/i-only-ask-that-i-am-taught-certain-things-and-i-develop-as-a-player/) [Nelson Agholor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-agholor/) > [My own mind began to grow, watchful with anxoius thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-own-mind-began-to-grow-watchful-with-anxoius-thoughts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [However many years she lived, Mary always felt that 'she should never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/however-many-years-she-lived-mary-always-felt-that-she-should-never/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [I wanna grow and develop as an artist, and I feel like different kinds of collaborations can only help me in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-van-etten/i-wanna-grow-and-develop-as-an-artist-and-i-feel-like-different-kinds/) [Sharon Van Etten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-van-etten/) > [All children are born to grow, to develop, to live, to love, and to articulate their needs and feelings for their self-protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/all-children-are-born-to-grow-to-develop-to-live-to-love-and-to/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [I had this attitude that it was going to take time for my work to grow. I had to develop skills to do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fish/i-had-this-attitude-that-it-was-going-to-take-time-for-my-work-to/) [Janet Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fish/) > [Hopefully, as a band, it will grow and develop for a good length of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-dunn/hopefully-as-a-band-it-will-grow-and-develop-for-a-good-length-of-time/) [Trevor Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-dunn/) > [As you grow, you develop the ideal of where your true belonging could be - the place, the home, the partner, and the work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/as-you-grow-you-develop-the-ideal-of-where-your-true-belonging-could/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [I've really enjoyed my time with New York City and I'd like to thank Patrick Vieira and his coaching staff for helping me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-harrison/i-ve-really-enjoyed-my-time-with-new-york-city-and-i-d-like-to-thank/) [Jack Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-harrison/) > [Competition is key to developing players. The only practice environment in which you truly develop a player is a competitive arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anson-dorrance/competition-is-key-to-developing-players-the-only-practice/) [Anson Dorrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anson-dorrance/) > [You get better by playing, honestly. That's where you develop as a player is to play through mistakes in game action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-mccollum/you-get-better-by-playing-honestly-that-s-where-you-develop-as-a/) [C. J. McCollum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-mccollum/) ## More by Jaap Stam > [Of course, when you play football yourself you can think you want to become a manager but it does not make you a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/of-course-when-you-play-football-yourself-you-can-think-you-want-to/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I have always been a Manchester United supporter since I was a child, so that won't change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-have-always-been-a-manchester-united-supporter-since-i-was-a-child/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I want to reach something with a team and go to the highest level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-want-to-reach-something-with-a-team-and-go-to-the-highest-level/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [Look, when I was working on a project at school, I had the urge to do that well. And if I'm fixing something up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/look-when-i-was-working-on-a-project-at-school-i-had-the-urge-to-do/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I'm sure I can work the Premier League, maybe my style of play is better suited to the Premier League than in the Championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-m-sure-i-can-work-the-premier-league-maybe-my-style-of-play-is/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [When you go to school in Holland you learn to speak English and write in English - but English is different from the Scottish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/when-you-go-to-school-in-holland-you-learn-to-speak-english-and-write/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [For me, a late start was a good thing. A lot of kids who start too early get bored. I'd done all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/for-me-a-late-start-was-a-good-thing-a-lot-of-kids-who-start-too/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I've been with clubs who won the league championships in Holland and England, which was brilliant, and to win the Champions League with Manchester…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-ve-been-with-clubs-who-won-the-league-championships-in-holland-and/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I just played football from an early age and didn't get involved in any other sports. We had tennis, cycling, ice skating - I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-just-played-football-from-an-early-age-and-didn-t-get-involved-in/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [It is important for me to believe in a team that has ambition. I want to go up and work towards something. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-is-important-for-me-to-believe-in-a-team-that-has-ambition-i-want/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I think that's one of the most important thing for a player to have - to have goals for yourself, that you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-think-that-s-one-of-the-most-important-thing-for-a-player-to-have/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I admit to becoming frustrated by the frequency of diving in the Champions League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-admit-to-becoming-frustrated-by-the-frequency-of-diving-in-the/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [I always watched professional football and my father played at an amateur level, but I didn't think I wanted to become a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/i-always-watched-professional-football-and-my-father-played-at-an/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [It was a great time working at Reading, especially the first season getting very close to going to the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-was-a-great-time-working-at-reading-especially-the-first-season/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [As a manager, you need to have your own vision and what you want to do with the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/as-a-manager-you-need-to-have-your-own-vision-and-what-you-want-to-do/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) [Explore all 34 Jaap Stam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. 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If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It wasn't until I was about 16 that I began to grow and develop as a player.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jaap Stam" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-began-to-grow-and-develop-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-began-to-grow-and-develop-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/jaap-stam-18685_about_it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-be_1586846.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It wasn't until I was about 16 that I began to grow and develop as a player.” — Jaap Stam", "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": "Jaap Stam", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It wasn't until I was about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-began-to-grow-and-develop-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/it-wasn-t-until-i-was-about-16-that-i-began-to-grow-and-develop-as-a/#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 } } ] } ```