--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe you win games by what you do…" description: "\"I believe you win games by what you do from your first practice until your first game\" — Jack Ramsay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png" --- # I believe you win games by what you do from your first… ![“I believe you win games by what you do from your first practice until your first game” quote by Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png) > “I believe you win games by what you do from your first practice until your first game” [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success in sports stems from consistent effort from practice to competition. **In simple terms:** Consistent effort leads to winning. Key Takeaway Commit to disciplined practice. Themes sports discipline practice performance mindset Mood inspirational practical Type motivational coach When to use this quote - training sessions - team meetings - personal drills - season preparation Key Concepts motivation habit formation goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What daily habits improve performance? - How to maintain motivation over time? 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You always have to take every practice, every game, like it is your last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/you-always-have-to-be-on-edge-you-always-have-to-take-every-practice/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [I probably play games more than I practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-probably-play-games-more-than-i-practice/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [The only thing I can control is my preparation and how I play games and how I practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-dragic/the-only-thing-i-can-control-is-my-preparation-and-how-i-play-games/) [Goran Dragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-dragic/) > [I'm not out in the streets. I'm not out in the club, at parties. I'm not really at movie premieres. After games, after practice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-george/i-m-not-out-in-the-streets-i-m-not-out-in-the-club-at-parties-i-m-not/) [Paul George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-george/) > [We win our games in practice. We learn and follow the fundamentals of our game better than anyone in the league. All of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/we-win-our-games-in-practice-we-learn-and-follow-the-fundamentals-of/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Basketball, like all sports, is predicated on the execution of fundamentals. The coach is a teacher. His subject: fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/basketball-like-all-sports-is-predicated-on-the-execution-of/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [In practice, it's practice. I'll always try to be perfect in practice, but, when I get to the game, I know what I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-jones/in-practice-it-s-practice-i-ll-always-try-to-be-perfect-in-practice/) [Mac Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-jones/) > [I dedicate myself and work hard in the weight room and treat every practice as if it were a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-peterson/i-dedicate-myself-and-work-hard-in-the-weight-room-and-treat-every/) [Adrian Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-peterson/) > [We used to dunk in pregame practice, not in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikan/we-used-to-dunk-in-pregame-practice-not-in-the-game/) [George Mikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikan/) > [You have goals every time you play a game. Why not set goals before each practice. Make practice your own game, against yourself -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tjay-taylor/you-have-goals-every-time-you-play-a-game-why-not-set-goals-before/) [TJay Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tjay-taylor/) > [When I don't have practice or a game, I become the laziest person in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-don-t-have-practice-or-a-game-i-become-the-laziest-person-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once you put in all the work pre-practice and post-practice and see it in a game and see it in play, that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-westbrook/once-you-put-in-all-the-work-pre-practice-and-post-practice-and-see/) [Russell Westbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-westbrook/) > [We do a lot so we spend probably like an hour before every practice and game on the table getting treatment. We spend probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-ingles/we-do-a-lot-so-we-spend-probably-like-an-hour-before-every-practice/) [Joe Ingles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-ingles/) > [If I can't practice, I can't practice. It is as simple as that. I ain't about that at all. It's easy to sum it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/if-i-can-t-practice-i-can-t-practice-it-is-as-simple-as-that-i-ain-t/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [That's all I seek every practice and every game, to progress in some way, be coachable and try to be the best I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-ingram/that-s-all-i-seek-every-practice-and-every-game-to-progress-in-some/) [Brandon Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-ingram/) ## More by Jack Ramsay > [Basketball, like all sports, is predicated on the execution of fundamentals. The coach is a teacher. His subject: fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/basketball-like-all-sports-is-predicated-on-the-execution-of/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [At Mass General in January 2007, Dr. Loeffler's team attached a ring-shaped metal frame to my head with four pins. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/at-mass-general-in-january-2007-dr-loeffler-s-team-attached-a-ring/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [If you make a wrong move with explosives, it could be deadly. If you're there when they blow up the beach, you get blown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/if-you-make-a-wrong-move-with-explosives-it-could-be-deadly-if-you-re/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [I learned how important physical conditioning is. I learned how to focus on an objective in spite of all kinds of hazards. I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-learned-how-important-physical-conditioning-is-i-learned-how-to/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [The Big Five is a competition played in the University of Pennsylvania's Palestra among five Philadelphia-area Division I schools: Saint Joseph's, La Salle, Penn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/the-big-five-is-a-competition-played-in-the-university-of/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [During my 11-year coaching tenure, Saint Joseph's won or tied for the Big Five championship seven times, went to 10 postseason tournaments - including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/during-my-11-year-coaching-tenure-saint-joseph-s-won-or-tied-for-the/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [My mother was very strong on me to go to college. No one had ever been to college, including my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/my-mother-was-very-strong-on-me-to-go-to-college-no-one-had-ever-been/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [In 1955-56, Saint Joseph's won the first Big Five championship, compiled a 23-6 overall record, and entered its first postseason competition ever - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/in-1955-56-saint-joseph-s-won-the-first-big-five-championship/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [I don't think there's ever been a team that ever scored more layups than that Blazers team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-don-t-think-there-s-ever-been-a-team-that-ever-scored-more-layups/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [A star can win any game; a team can win every game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/a-star-can-win-any-game-a-team-can-win-every-game/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [The highest level of achievement is attained by the teams with the best conditioned players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/the-highest-level-of-achievement-is-attained-by-the-teams-with-the/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [Saint Joseph's still is among the smaller-enrollment institutions with a big-time basketball program. The Jesuits still offer the same high-quality education. St. Joe's students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/saint-joseph-s-still-is-among-the-smaller-enrollment-institutions/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [There was great comraderie among players and coaches. We enjoyed the time we were together... road trips were fun. I don't know that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/there-was-great-comraderie-among-players-and-coaches-we-enjoyed-the/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [I want to stay alive. Yeah, I want to stay alive. I think that's the main thing. If there's a chance I can live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-want-to-stay-alive-yeah-i-want-to-stay-alive-i-think-that-s-the/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) > [You didn't hear anything about 'Celtic Pride' when they had Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe and they were only winning 32 games a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/you-didn-t-hear-anything-about-celtic-pride-when-they-had-sidney/) [Jack Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) [Explore all 36 Jack Ramsay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/) ## 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 believe you win games by what you do from your first practice until your first game", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Ramsay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-from-your-first-practice-until/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-from-your-first-practice-until/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/jack-ramsay-17764_basketball_i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-f_2254908.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe you win games by what you do from your first practice until your first game” — Jack Ramsay", "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": "Jack Ramsay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ramsay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe you win games by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-from-your-first-practice-until/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ramsay/i-believe-you-win-games-by-what-you-do-from-your-first-practice-until/#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 } } ] } ```