Joe Paterno Quotes & Sayings

“When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.”

“We shall act with good intentions, but at times we will be wrong. When we are, let us admit it and try to right the situation.”

“Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things.”

“What is a coach? We are teachers. Educators. We have the same obligations as all teachers, except we probably have more influence over young people than anybody but their families. And, in a lot of cases, more than their families.”

“Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy.”

“Besides pride, loyalty, discipline, heart, and mind, confidence is the key to all the locks.”

“To teach an academic subject is certainly not easy, but compared to coaching, it is. We can say 'two plus two is four' to every kid and be sure that we are right. But in coaching, we have to literally get to the soul of the people we are dealing with.”

“The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.”

“I don't think it's fair to 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds to say 'Show us you're a winner right now!' Winning isn't everything. I'll never buy that thing that if a boy loses a football game, he's a loser in life.”

“Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good.”