Famous Quotes & Sayings

John Kessel

Coaches and players at the start must think their way through problems where a more experienced person would react out of habit and memory. One must not gain this experience, however, without being careful of empty redundancy. Do not fall into the error of the artist who boasts of 20 years of experience at his craft while, in fact, all he has had is one year - 20 times.

John Kessel

Perform the best you can for when you find that you perform your best, there is still so much more in volleyball to do better, harder, faster, and smarter. It is just like when you go for a long journey. You go as far as you can see, and when you get there, you can see farther.

John Kessel

An advantage to volleyball is that you have a scoreboard to tell how you have done as a team. The thing is, in life there is no scoreboard, at least not one that you can see.

John Kessel

Too many coaches have too big a mouth and not big enough ears.

John Kessel

You can be harsh on your players and still coach, but it is easier when you are kind to them.

John Kessel

Coaches need to have the ability of tact - to teach the team to rub out mistakes rather than to rub them in.

John Kessel

Never back down, never fear anyone, for the best opponents will help you to play your best.

John Kessel

It's hard for these athletes to stay healthy. They are constantly being bombarded with unhealthy advertising. Peer pressure can override the body's demand for health. Being healthy goes beyond 'not being sick' (where all lab reports indicate health), to feeling optimistic, energetic, strong and happy with their bodies. Teaching them to take charge of their bodies is a job of coaching. Help them gain discipline in conditioning, nutrition and attitude/emotional control.

John Kessel

The substitute that thinks his place below him, will certainly be below his place.

John Kessel

Don't ask yourself what you did wrong; ask yourself what you did right.

John Kessel

False teammates are like our shadows. They keep close to us when we are all walking in the sunshine, but they are gone the instant we just go into the shade, let alone the darkness.

John Kessel

If you are serious about volleyball, the only months to stop playing are those without a vowel.

John Kessel

There are three choices in life and sport - either you do it, you don't do it or you think about it. Most humans think about it. We will do it.

John Kessel

Being left-handed has its advantages in volleyball. Few people know enough about your spike and serve to give you advice.

John Kessel

Profit by your own mistakes and profit by the mistakes of others. The referees were calling ball handling violations like they were getting commissions.

John Kessel

No jockey ever won a race by carrying the horse across the finish line; no coach ever won a volleyball match by touching the ball during play.

John Kessel

Never mishandle hope or self-confidence - those are elements of life, not just a game.

John Kessel

The kind of player who has turned his game around, he used to be lousy and lazy and now he is lazy and lousy.

John Kessel

Think positive, real volleyball happens too fast to think any other way.

John Kessel

The meaning of volleyball, is to give meaning to volleyball, as the meaning of coaching is to give meaning to coaching.

John Kessel

Focus on winning the contest with yourself.

John Kessel

Alter strategies and tactics, but never your principles.

John Kessel

There is nothing less important in life than the score after one game of a two out of three game match.

John Kessel

A coach must sometimes see players with his heart, and hear them with his eyes.

John Kessel

I am here to give my players the little push they need, just like they needed long ago, when first learning the art of the swing. All you needed then was a little push, and quickly you were pumping away, flying higher and higher, without any more help from the 'coach.'

John Kessel

Study hard, practice hard, play ferociously.

John Kessel

Shared victory is a double victory, shared defeat is half-defeat.

John Kessel

Most of us are referees at heart; we like to call throws and errors on someone else.

John Kessel

Work hard - beat out half the team. Be committed, play fair as a team player - Beat out another quarter of the team. The last quarter is your desire and beliefs, and where you are playing.

John Kessel

Nothing makes a player more productive than the last minute.

John Kessel

Make your mistakes with confidence. It is the only way you are going to learn anything. Never be afraid to do a skill, no matter how simple or hard it may seem someone has done it, and so can you, With enough committed practice and confidence.

John Kessel

Coaches must be flexible, for then they won't get bent out of shape.

John Kessel

You must allow your players to become the athletes they can be. Don't make them into anything just to become the kind of winners fans, friends and others think they must be.