--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before kids can play like a pro, they…" description: "\"“Before kids can play like a pro, they must enjoy playing the game like a kid.”\" — Steve Locker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg" --- # Before kids can play like a pro, they must enjoy playing… ![“Before kids can play like a pro, they must enjoy playing the game like a kid.” quote by Steve Locker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg) > ““Before kids can play like a pro, they must enjoy playing the game like a kid.”” [Steve Locker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-locker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children must retain a playful mindset to excel, emphasizing joy before skill in sports. **In simple terms:** Playful mindset precedes skill. Key Takeaway Encourage fun first. Themes sports children play joy skill development Mood encouraging optimistic Type sports parental educational When to use this quote - sports coaching - parental guidance - team building Key Concepts youth sports coach mindset learning through play Questions to Reflect On - How does play improve performance? - What balance of fun and training works? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on skill can diminish enjoyment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Enjoy Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy-playing/) [Like Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-kid/) [Like Pro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-pro-1279676/) [Play Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-like/) [Playing Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-game/) [Playing The Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-the-game/) [Soccer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer/) [Youth sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth-sports/) ## Related quotes > [I like baseball. I think that's the main thing. I enjoy playing the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-posey/i-like-baseball-i-think-that-s-the-main-thing-i-enjoy-playing-the-game/) [Buster Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-posey/) > [I finally realised I really enjoy playing the way I play and I'm not going to try to play like Travis Barker because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-ledger/i-finally-realised-i-really-enjoy-playing-the-way-i-play-and-i-m-not/) [Jen Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-ledger/) > [I enjoy playing the game. It's hard for me to just watch it, even while broadcasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-swann/i-enjoy-playing-the-game-it-s-hard-for-me-to-just-watch-it-even-while/) [Lynn Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-swann/) > [I enjoy playing the game of football. I think I play it best when it's at its simplest form and I'm just having fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-bortles/i-enjoy-playing-the-game-of-football-i-think-i-play-it-best-when-it-s/) [Blake Bortles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bortles/) > [You want to make as much money as you can and enjoy playing this game as much as you can, but it has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/you-want-to-make-as-much-money-as-you-can-and-enjoy-playing-this-game/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [I just enjoy playing the game and being able to make an impact on the game and try to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-poole/i-just-enjoy-playing-the-game-and-being-able-to-make-an-impact-on-the/) [Jordan Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-poole/) > [I've learned how to shoot like a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/i-ve-learned-how-to-shoot-like-a-pro/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [I just follow great people. If you want to play like a pro, you learn from the pros.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/i-just-follow-great-people-if-you-want-to-play-like-a-pro-you-learn/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [I can scare myself like a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-poots/i-can-scare-myself-like-a-pro/) [Imogen Poots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-poots/) > [I would like people to say that when they describe the type of player I am. Someone that prepares like a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-would-like-people-to-say-that-when-they-describe-the-type-of-player/) [Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/) > [Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/learn-the-rules-like-a-pro-so-you-can-break-them-like-an-artist/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duffy-daugherty/football-isn-t-a-contact-sport-it-s-a-collision-sport/) [Duffy Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duffy-daugherty/) > [Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/remember-this-the-choices-you-make-in-life-make-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/champions-never-complain-they-are-too-busy-getting-better/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I'm hearing in youth sports where you're not allowed to post scores of games online; everybody's gotta get a trophy. I mean, that's ridiculous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carli-lloyd/i-m-hearing-in-youth-sports-where-you-re-not-allowed-to-post-scores/) [Carli Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carli-lloyd/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Before kids can play like a pro, they must enjoy playing the game like a kid.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Locker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-locker/before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-must-enjoy-playing-the-game-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-locker/before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-must-enjoy-playing-the-game-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/steve-locker-279896_children_before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-mus_639210.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Before kids can play like a pro, they must enjoy playing the game like a kid.” — Steve Locker", "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": "Steve Locker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-locker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Before kids can play like a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-locker/before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-must-enjoy-playing-the-game-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-locker/before-kids-can-play-like-a-pro-they-must-enjoy-playing-the-game-like/#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 } } ] } ```