---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could sum it up in one thing: A guy has…"
description: "\"I could sum it up in one thing: A guy has to be what he is. He's got to coach and have a philosophy based on his own personality. You see too many coac..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/lavell-edwards-8764_being-yourself_i-could-sum-it-up-in-one-thing-a-guy-has_2427033.jpg"
---

#  I could sum it up in one thing: A guy has to be what he…

![“I could sum it up in one thing: A guy has to be what he is. He's got to coach and have a philosophy based on his own personality. You see too many coaches trying to imitate other coaches, trying to be someone else. It's all right to emulate the qualities of good coaches but I don't think you…” quote by LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/lavell-edwards-8764_being-yourself_i-could-sum-it-up-in-one-thing-a-guy-has_2427033.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/lavell-edwards-8764_being-yourself_i-could-sum-it-up-in-one-thing-a-guy-has_2427033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/lavell-edwards-8764_being-yourself_i-could-sum-it-up-in-one-thing-a-guy-has_2427033.jpg)

> “I could sum it up in one thing: A guy has to be what he is. He's got to coach and have a philosophy based on his own personality. You see too many coaches trying to imitate other coaches, trying to be someone else. It's all right to emulate the qualities of good coaches but I don't think you should imitate. You've got to be yourself.”

[LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Coaches should stay true to their own personality and philosophy rather than copying others, while learning from good examples.

**In simple terms:** Be authentic, not an imitator.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate personal coaching style.

Themes

leadership personal development coaching

Mood

inspirational reflective

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- team building
- player development
- career mentoring

Key Concepts

authenticity philosophy role modeling

Questions to Reflect On

- What unique strengths define your coaching?
- How can you blend learning with authenticity?

A Different Perspective

Imitation can stifle innovation.

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[Being yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-yourself/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Good coaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-coaches/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

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## More by LaVell Edwards

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