---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been practising since I was 4 or 5…"
description: "\"I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but that wasn't really practice. I was just having fun… I just loved to play hockey.\" — Sidney Crosby"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png"
---

#  I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but…

![“I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but that wasn't really practice. I was just having fun… I just loved to play hockey.” quote by Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png)

> “I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but that wasn't really practice. I was just having fun… I just loved to play hockey.”

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

## About This Quote

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

The player reflects that his early “practice” was actually playful enjoyment, emphasizing fun as the foundation of skill.

**In simple terms:** Early play was his real practice.

Key Takeaway

Value fun in early learning.

Themes

sports learning playfulness

Mood

joyful reflective

Type

athletic inspirational

When to use this quote

- child development
- recreational programs

Key Concepts

youth sports skill acquisition coach mentorship

Questions to Reflect On

- How can fun be balanced with technique?
- What role does joy play in mastery?

A Different Perspective

Play may lack structured feedback.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Having fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-fun/) [Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hockey/) [Just have fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-have-fun/) [Nhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nhl/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-hockey/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Practice Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice-just-241110/) [Practising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practising/) [Practising Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practising-years-3937816/) [Really Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-practice-658499/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [Parkour is really a practice of getting to know yourself, what you're able to do, what are your limits. As you train, you start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-belle/parkour-is-really-a-practice-of-getting-to-know-yourself-what-you-re/)

[David Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-belle/)

> [I don't practice many penalties! I don't mind taking them but don't really practice saving many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-pickford/i-don-t-practice-many-penalties-i-don-t-mind-taking-them-but-don-t/)

[Jordan Pickford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-pickford/)

> [Having heard Clifford Brown play all those fast runs, I used to really practice Clarke trumpet exercises all day long so that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/having-heard-clifford-brown-play-all-those-fast-runs-i-used-to-really/)

[Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/)

> [We really practice music and work really hard. Sometimes we'll leave at six in the morning, and we started at three the day before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trombone-shorty/we-really-practice-music-and-work-really-hard-sometimes-we-ll-leave/)

[Trombone Shorty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trombone-shorty/)

> [Just because you've had one or two of those games, you can't really go back to the next practice and change everything. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-gustavsson/just-because-you-ve-had-one-or-two-of-those-games-you-can-t-really-go/)

[Jonas Gustavsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-gustavsson/)

> [The only thing you really have to practice is your ability. And this is something I do all the time. I try to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-brion/the-only-thing-you-really-have-to-practice-is-your-ability-and-this/)

[Jon Brion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-brion/)

> [Sometimes there are really severe conditions like super, super wind or crazy wind or something like that that you don't really get to practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gostkowski/sometimes-there-are-really-severe-conditions-like-super-super-wind-or/)

[Stephen Gostkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gostkowski/)

> [I find it's only when something is trying to come through I really practice. And then, I don't know how many hours. It's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-coltrane/i-find-it-s-only-when-something-is-trying-to-come-through-i-really/)

[John Coltrane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-coltrane/)

> [There is a lot of room for improvement for everybody, no matter who you are, so that is all I did, really: practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-trippier/there-is-a-lot-of-room-for-improvement-for-everybody-no-matter-who/)

[Kieran Trippier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-trippier/)

> [I don't really practice 'cause I already know the songs. It's kind of: if I do good, I do good, and if I mess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-ramsey/i-don-t-really-practice-cause-i-already-know-the-songs-it-s-kind-of/)

[Mason Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-ramsey/)

> [Get a scalpel, and practice just, say, cutting a piece of meat or something like that. You sort of learn how you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denton-cooley/get-a-scalpel-and-practice-just-say-cutting-a-piece-of-meat-or/)

[Denton Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denton-cooley/)

> [It is important that whenever you do get opportunities to practice, just get in some batting and be in a place where you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-karthik/it-is-important-that-whenever-you-do-get-opportunities-to-practice/)

[Dinesh Karthik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-karthik/)

> [Practice not wanting, desiring, judging, doing, fighting, knowing. Practice just being. Everything will fall into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/practice-not-wanting-desiring-judging-doing-fighting-knowing-practice/)

[James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/)

> [The purpose of our practice is just to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-purpose-of-our-practice-is-just-to-be-yourself/)

[Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/)

> [You've just got to read your read keys and rep it in practice and then just do your job on the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-trubisky/you-ve-just-got-to-read-your-read-keys-and-rep-it-in-practice-and/)

[Mitchell Trubisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-trubisky/)

## More by Sidney Crosby

> [Breakaway goals are fun. When you score a quick one in front of the net, it just happens, but during a breakaway, there's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/breakaway-goals-are-fun-when-you-score-a-quick-one-in-front-of-the/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [“In this jersey I promise to play for the logo on the front, not the name on the back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/in-this-jersey-i-promise-to-play-for-the-logo-on-the-front-not-the/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [People are going to have their opinions. Whether it's good or bad, I don't really think about it either way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/people-are-going-to-have-their-opinions-whether-it-s-good-or-bad-i/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [When you get a typical injury, you're given a time frame; you're gradually working towards getting back. With concussions, there is not generally a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/when-you-get-a-typical-injury-you-re-given-a-time-frame-you-re/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I'm not picky. When I'm hungry, I eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-m-not-picky-when-i-m-hungry-i-eat/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I was better at both ends, defensively and offensively, It was more of a well-rounded game. I want to add to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-was-better-at-both-ends-defensively-and-offensively-it-was-more-of/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [The biggest thing for me is the passion that I've always had for hockey. I remember growing up, no matter what I did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/the-biggest-thing-for-me-is-the-passion-that-i-ve-always-had-for/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [It's not that hard to stay grounded. It's the way I was brought up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/it-s-not-that-hard-to-stay-grounded-it-s-the-way-i-was-brought-up/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I've always had a passion for hockey, ... That's the key. You can't be putting in time. You have to enjoy doing what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-ve-always-had-a-passion-for-hockey-that-s-the-key-you-can-t-be/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I'm not worried about coming in here and putting the pressure on myself to get four points every night and carry the team because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-m-not-worried-about-coming-in-here-and-putting-the-pressure-on/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I realize there will not be another Gretzky, and I will be the first one to say I will not break his records, ..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-realize-there-will-not-be-another-gretzky-and-i-will-be-the-first/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I'm trying to learn as much as I can out there, but I'm confident in what I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-m-trying-to-learn-as-much-as-i-can-out-there-but-i-m-confident-in/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [My favorite player would probably be Steve Yzerman. He played in Detroit. I really liked the way he played and the way he handled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/my-favorite-player-would-probably-be-steve-yzerman-he-played-in/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [It's really football, tennis, and golf that I watch other than hockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/it-s-really-football-tennis-and-golf-that-i-watch-other-than-hockey/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

> [I don't think there's ever a time where I step back and say I wish I was something different. I'm doing what I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-don-t-think-there-s-ever-a-time-where-i-step-back-and-say-i-wish-i/)

[Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

[Explore all 80 Sidney Crosby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/)

## More Fun quotes

> [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/)

[Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/)

> [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/)

[Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [I think taking a hookline of a hit song and making a new song is fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/i-think-taking-a-hookline-of-a-hit-song-and-making-a-new-song-is-fun/)

[Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/)

> [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/)

[Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/)

> [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/)

[Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/)

> [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/)

[Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/)

> [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/)

[Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/)

> [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/)

[Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/)

> [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/)

> [I can't imagine not working, really. I just think work's more fun than fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-quant/i-can-t-imagine-not-working-really-i-just-think-work-s-more-fun-than/)

[Mary Quant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-quant/)

> [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/)

[Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/)

> [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/)

[Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/)

> [It's great when you can write a meaningful song that touches people, but sometimes you just wanna have fun and sing a silly song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/it-s-great-when-you-can-write-a-meaningful-song-that-touches-people/)

[Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/)

> [I loved duping my parents; I liked manipulating them. It was a way for me to stand out. It was fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-loved-duping-my-parents-i-liked-manipulating-them-it-was-a-way-for/)

[Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/)

[Browse all 15,947 Fun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but that wasn't really practice. I was just having fun… I just loved to play hockey.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sidney Crosby"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or-5-years-old-but-that-wasn-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fun"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or-5-years-old-but-that-wasn-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/sidney-crosby-8501_fun_i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or_2872561.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but that wasn't really practice. I was just having fun……” — Sidney Crosby",
                "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": "Sidney Crosby",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have been practising since I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or-5-years-old-but-that-wasn-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/i-have-been-practising-since-i-was-4-or-5-years-old-but-that-wasn-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
