I love to watch the seasons change...baseball...football...basketball...hockey...
This file includes stuff that pertains to all team sports, as well as Cheerleading, Coaches, Fans, and Volleyball. Also see Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Non-Team Sports, Softball, and Winter Sports.
Team Sports Page Toppers
- The (2020) Season
- (school) Scores Big
- The Agony of Defeat
- All Area Team
- All State Team
- American Gladiators
- And it's Good!
- Awards Night
- Are You Game?
- The Best Team in the West
- Big Time Rivalry
- Big Win!
- Cheer For the Home Team
- Coach
- Defense Department
- Department of Defense
- Doubters Don't Win.
Winners Don't Doubt.
- Game Day
- The Games People Play
- Go (school colors)
- Go Team!
- Go (team nickname)
- Good Sport
- Grudge Match
- Havin' a Ball
- Hero Worship
- Hey Now, You're an All Star
- Home Team Advantage
- Hooray for Our Team
- In a League All Your Own
- Instant Replay
- It's All in the Game
- New World Order
- No Pain, No Gain
- Oh! What a Night!
- On to Victory
- Playing by the Book
- Practice Makes Perfect
- Prime Time Sports
- The Rookie
- Rookie of the Year
- Root Root Root for the Home Team
- Score
- Season Opener
- Sports Night
- Sports Superstar
- Sportsman-like Conduct
- Shutout
- Superstar
- Survival of the Fittest
- The Sweet Smell of Victory
- Take State
- Taste of Victory
- Teaming Up
- There is No "I" in TEAM
- Today's Heroes
- Undefeated
- The Underdogs
- Unrivaled
- Unrivaled Competition
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct
- Warmin' the Bench
- Way to Go!
- We Are the Best
- We Are the Champions
- Winning with Style
Quotes
- The difference between an extraordinary player and an ordinary player is that little extra. (Michael Burks)
- If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score? (Vince Lombardi)
- If you don't practice, you don't deserve to dream.
- If you practice with emotion and purpose you'll play with passion and confidence.
- Individual commitment to a group effort. That's what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. (Vince Lombardi)
- Individually we are special, together we are spectacular.
- Individuals play the game, but teams win championships.
- It's not whether you win or lose,
it's how you play the game.
- It's only a game until you lose.
- Like many athletes, I played in college for the chance to play in the pros. In the years since I retired, I've come to realize that the education I got in college was for life. I will have it forever and for that I am incredibly grateful. (Pat Toomay)
- No one ever says "it's only a game," when their team is winning.
- One of the reasons we play the national anthem before the game is to remind us that even though we're rooting for different sports teams, we are united as a country. That is a wonderful message that we should not allow to be distorted by anyone. (Dr. Ben Carson)
- A person really doesn't become whole, until he becomes a part of something that's bigger than himself. (Jim Valvano)
- Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy someone else to shoot.
- Teamwork means never having to take all the blame yourself.
- To win, all you have to do is get up one more time than you fall.
- Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-the-last mistake.
- Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat.
- We are not going to play them; they are going to play us. (Hank Iba)
- A winner never quits and a quitter never wins.
- Winners dwell on their desire, not their limitations.
- Winning is about having the whole team on the same page. (Bill Walton)
- You are only defeated if you give up one more time than you get up.
- You can accomplish anything you want as long as you don't care who gets the credit for it. (Blanton Collier)
- You can only win if you aren't afraid to lose.
- You can't win if you don't begin.
- You're never a loser til you quit trying.
- You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win and you're never as bad as they say when you lose. (Lou Holtz)
TEAM
T ogether
E ach
A ccomplishes
M ore
Funny and Unusual Mascots
There are hundreds of these but here are a few I ran across during other research.
- Blooming Prairie High School in MN: Awesome Blossom (giant blossoming onion)
- Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, TX: Buttons
- Delta State in Cleveland, Mississippi: The Fighting Okra
- Dunn High School in Los Olivos, California: Earwigs
- Frankfort, Indiana: Hot Dog (dachshund)
- Nebraska Cornhuskers: Herbie Husker
- New Berlin Jr./Sr. High School in IL: Pretzels
- Ojai Valley School in CA: Spuds
- Poca High School in WV: Dots
- Ridgefield High School in WA: Spudder (jumping potato)
- Rocky Ford High School in CO: Meloneer (muscular watermelon in red shorts)
- Syracuse University in New York: Otto the Orange
- University of Arkansas at Monticello: Boll Weevil
- University of California at Santa Cruz: Sammy the banana slug
- Scottsdale Community College in AZ: Artie the Artichoke
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem: The Fighting Pickle
- The Montgomery Biscuits in Alabama: Monty (anthropomorphized buttermilk biscuit)
- Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth: Horned Frogs: Super Frog
- Modesto Nuts in CA: They have three mascots, Al the Almond, Wally the Walnut, Shelley the Pistachio
- Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus: Brutus Buckeye
- University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns at Lafayette: Cayenne
Sports Withdrawal
There are two days of the year in which there are no professional sports games (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL). They are the day before and the day after the Major League All-Star Game. You should plan ahead and record games to watch that day - or make do with reruns!
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Page Toppers
- Around the Rim
- Baskets of Fun
- B Ball
- Build the Spirit
- Cheer for the Home Team
- Crashin' the Boards
- Dishin' and Swishin'
- Dribble, Pass, Shoot
- Dribble, Rebound, Shoot, Score!
- Full Court Press
- Hang Time
- Hittin' the Shot
- Hoop Dreams
- Hoop it Up
- Hoop Heaven
- Hoopin' it Up
- Hoopla
- Hoops, Anyone?
- The Hoopster
- Hot Shots
- In the Air Tonight
- In the Paint
- Intentional Foul
- It's an Easy Two!
- Jam Session
- My Momma Taught Me That
- Nothin' But Net
- Open Shot
- Overtime
- Pass...Shoot...Score!
- Shootin' Hoops
- Slam Dunk
- Slammin' and Jammin'
- Space Jam
- Swish!
- Take it to the Hoop
- Taking it Home
- That was a Slam Dunk!
- Time Out
- To 'Air' is Human
- Walk This Way
- Whoop it Up
- Work the Crowd
- Zero Gravity
Basketball Template
Enlarge the cutting diagram so it is the size you want (11" in diameter is good if you want it to pretty much fill the page). Trace the pattern on an old manila folder if you want something you can use again. Be sure to put the numbers and arrows on the patterns, as they will guide you in placement and photo orientation. When you assemble the photos on the page leave a little white space between each one.
Basketball Quotes and Humor
- Any American boy can be a basketball star if he grows up, up, up. (Bill Vaughn)
- Basketball is like war in that offensive weapons are developed first, and it always takes a while for the defense to catch up. (Red Auerbach)
- Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals. (Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball)
- During the opening minutes of a basketball game in which I was involved as a coach, an obvious violation occurred. One of the officials was trying desperately to blow his whistle--but absolutely no sound came out. With a thousand fans howling at him, the hapless referee inspected his whistle and extracted a small piece of paper from the neck. It was a note, which read: "Good luck tonight. Your loving wife."
- I liked the choreography, but I didn't care for the costumes. (Tommy Tune, on why he never played basketball)
- If all I'm remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I've done a bad job with the rest of my life. (Isiah Thomas)
- I've learned I can't help the team sitting on the bench. (Wilt Chamberlain, on why he never fouled out)
- They said playing basketball would kill me. Well, not playing basketball was killing me. (Earvin 'Magic' Johnson)
- This is the second most exciting indoor sport, and the other one shouldn't have spectators. (Dick Vertleib)
- To win, you've got to put the ball in the macramé. (Terry McGuire)
- What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player. (John Wooden)
- When I dunk, I put something on it. I want the ball to hit the floor before I do. (Darryl Dawkins)
- When you miss a shot, never think of what you did wrong. Take the next shot thinking of what you must do right. (Tony Alfonso)
Songs about Basketball
- Basketball - Lil Bow Wow (2002)
- I Wish - Skee-Lo (1995)
- Michael Jordan - Five for Fighting (2000)
- Put it on the Line - CIU (2008)
- Shooting Hoops - G. Love (1994)
- White Men Can't Jump - Riff (1992)
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Page Toppers
- Athlete by Nature, Cheerleader by Choice!
- CHEER the Game! WORK the Crowd! BUILD the Spirit!
- Cheer My Way Through College? Watch Me!
- Cheerleaders are expected to be LOUD!
- Competition Bound
- Go, Fight, Win
- Go, Team, Go
- Hold That Line
- I Don't Just Cheer. I Inspire.
- I Don't Play the Field--I Rule the Sidelines.
- Jump, Shout, Yell!
- Let's Go
- Look at Her Fly!
- Pep Rally
- Pom-poms and Ponytails
- Push 'em Back, Push 'em Back, Waaaaay Back
- Stand Up and Cheer
- There is No Halftime for Cheerleaders!
- We Got Spirit
- Without Cheerleaders it's Only a Game.
- Yea! Teem
- You Make the Touchdown, We'll Make the Noise!
Quotes
- Cheerleaders are angels...we're the only humans who can fly!
- Cheerleaders are simply a jump above the rest.
- Cheerleading is more than a sport; it's an attitude.
- Cheerleading makes me jump and shout.
- Flying is the second best thrill to cheerleaders; being caught is the first.
- A good cheerleader is not measured by the height of her jumps but by the span of her spirit.
- If it's in your heart, it shows in your spirit.
- It's hard to be humble when you can jump, stunt, and tumble!
- Just because we do not run across goal lines, slam dunk basketballs, or hit home runs, doesn't mean we can't change the score.
- Players--A vital part of any sporting event, they entertain the crowd in the intervals between timeouts so the cheerleaders can take a well-earned break.
- The spirit to win and the will to succeed are measured one stunt at a time.
- You know you're a cheerleader when you have to yell, kick, and scream to get what you want.
No Deal
I trade sweat for strength.
I trade doubt for belief.
I trade cheerleading for nothing.
Cheerleaders ABC's
(Jakelle Cornell)
A - ambition
B - believe in your team!
C - cheers
D - dances/dedication
E - energy
F - fans/fun
G - games
H - half-time
I - I love cheering
J - jumps
K - kicks
L - losses
M - megaphones
N - no regrets
O - overtime
P - pom-poms
Q - never quit
R - rallies (pep)
S - smile
T - teamwork
U - uniform
V - victories
W - watching
X - x-hileration
Y - yelling
Z - zzzz's (after a good game)
Cheerleading Page Idea
Crop six photos using an octagon template. Use a larger octagon template to cut mats for the photos (use team colors or something that coordinates with them). Line up three photos in the center near the bottom of the page. Put two photos above them and one at the top--forming a pyramid shape. At the top put a title and some die-cuts or stickers. Write the words to various cheers here and there on the page.
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Page Toppers
- Ace!
- BLOCK
- Freeball!
- Bump! Set! Spike!
- Dig It
- It's a Net Thing
- Net Attack
- Net Force
- Queens of the Court
- Ready Position? Attack!
- Side Out
- Volley Girls
- Volleyball Serves My Purpose
- What a Dig!
- What a Volley!
- Win the Rally!
Quotes
- It takes a lot of hard work and dedication just like any pro sport. Especially for beach volleyball you don't have to be tall or as fast as other sports. You just have to have the skills. (Misty May)
- A mere forty years ago, beach volleyball was just beginning. No bureaucrat would have invented it, and that's what freedom is all about. (Newt Gingrich)
- The setter, a hard-working talented volleyball player who receives no glory!
- Sometimes your opponents will try to intimidate you by staring at you before they serve. You can avoid the cold-war tactics by staring at the ball instead of their eyes. It tells the server, "Hey, I'm ready for anything you've got - give it to me". (Karch Kiraly)
- Volleyball anchored me at a time in my life when I needed it. It gave me a reason for being this big, big girl. (Gabrielle Reece)
- Volleyball is 20 percent luck and 80 percent style.
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Quotes
- The coach should be the absolute boss, but he still should maintain an open mind. (Red Auerbach)
- Coaches are good sports!
- Coaches build teams, parents build players. (Charles Smyth)
- Coaches get a kick out of life!
- Coaches have to watch for what they don't want to see and listen to what they don't want to hear. (John Madden)
- Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The one's who win get inside their players and motivate. (Vince Lombardi)
- Coaching is making men do what they don't want, so they can become what they want to be. (Tom Landry)
- Discipline and demand without being demeaning. (Don Meyer)
- A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are. (Ara Parasheghian)
- Good coaching may be defined as the development of character, personality and habits of players, plus the teaching of fundamentals and team play. (Claire Bee)
- I knew we were in for a long season when we lined up for the national anthem on opening day and one of my players said, 'Every time I hear that song I have a bad game.' (Jim Leyland)
- I never questioned the integrity of an umpire. Their eyesight, yes. (Leo Durocher)
- Ideally, the umpire should combine the integrity of a Supreme Court judge, the physical agility of an acrobat, the endurance of Job and the imperturbability of Buddha. (Time Magazine, 8/25/61)
- If a coach starts listening to fans, he winds up sitting next to them. (Johnny Kerr)
- If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That's all it takes to get people to win football games for you. (Paul Bear Bryant)
- If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score? (Vince Lombardi)
- Kids don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.
- Life's Mirror- There are little eyes upon you that watch everything you say and do. When you doubt the power of your position, just remember that ten or twenty years earlier that little boy or girls was you!
- Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. (Darrell Royal)
- Most games are lost, not won. (Casey Stengel)
- The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You've got to be accountable for who you are. It's too easy to blame things on someone else. (Lenny Wilkins)
- Officials are the only guys who can rob you and then get a police escort out of the stadium. (Ron Bolton)
- Other people go to the office. I get to coach. I know I've been blessed. (Jim Valvano)
- Professional coaches measure success in rings. College coaches measure success in championships. High School coaches measure success in titles. Youth coaches measure success in smiles. (Paul McAllister, Youth Coach)
- Sport doesn't teach character, coaches teach character.
- A tough day at the office is even tougher when your office contains spectator seating. (Nik Posa)
- The trouble with referees is that they just don't care which side wins. (Tom Canterbury)
- The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they do not know the game. (Bill Shankly, soccer coach)
- We're supposed to be perfect our first day on the job and show constant improvement. (Ed Vargo, umpire)
- Your job is to umpire for the ball and not the player. (Bill Klem, umpire)
An Inspiration to Coaches
There are little eyes upon you,
And they're watching night and day;
There are little ears that quickly
Take in every word you say
There are little hands all eager
To do anything you do;
And a little boy who's dreaming
Of the day he'll be like you.
You're the little fellow's idol;
You're the wisest of the wise,
In his little mind about you,
No suspicions ever rise;
He believes in you devoutly,
Holds that all you can say and do,
He will say and do, in your way
When he's a grown-up like you.
There's a wide-eyed little fellow
Who believes you're always right,
And his ears are always open,
And he watches day and night;
You are setting an example
Every day in all you do,
For the little boy who's waiting
To grow up to be like you.
A Word to Fans
Please don't curse the child down there.
That is my child, you see.
They're only just a child you know.
They mean a lot to me.
I did not raise my child, dear fan,
For you to call him names.
He may not be a superstar, it's
Just a high school game.
Please don't curse the kids down there,
They do the best they can.
They never tried to lose the game,
they're children and you're a fan.
The game belongs to them, you see,
You are just a guest.
They do not need a fan like you,
They need the very best.
If you have nothing nice to say,
Please leave the kids alone.
And if you have no manners,
Whey don't you stay at home?
Please don't curse the kids down there,
Each one is a parents' child
Win or lose, or tie, you see,
To us they're number one.
Just a Little Person
(This could be adapted for other sports)
They stand at the plate with hearts pounding fast;
The bases are loaded, the die has been cast.
Mom and Dad cannot help them, they stand alone
A hit at this moment would send the team home
The ball nears the plate, they swing and they miss
there's a groan from the crowd, with a boo and a hiss
A thoughtless voice cries, "Strike out the bum!"
Tears fill their eyes, the game's no longer fun.
So open your heart and give them a break
For it's moments like this, an adult you can make
Keep this in mind when you hear someone forget,
They're just a little person, not men and women yet.
Coaches Prayer
God grant me the insight to see the potential in every player;
the patience to encourage improvement
and the character to always set a winning example.
Getting into Heaven
Three basketball coaches flew to the NCAA convention. The plane crashed and all three died. They noticed God up in the clouds sitting in a chair. God motioned for them to come into the clouds and said he wanted to know three things: Who are you? What did you do? What did people think of you?
The first coach said, "I'm Mike Krzyzewski. I was the second best coach in the nation. I won two national championships and I always got the best recruits. The people of Durham think I'm great."
God said, "Fine, Mike, stand on my right side."
The next coach said, I'm Bob Knight. I was the third best coach in the nation. I won three National Championships, my teams were consistently ranked in the top 25, and won at least twenty games nearly every year. Hoosier fans think I'm great."
God said, "Fine Bob, stand on my left side."
The third coach stood before God and said, "I'm Roy Williams and I took the most storied program in college basketball from probation and turned it into a consistent top five program. I've won at least twenty-five games a season and taken my team to the NCAA tournament eleven times in a row, with nine Sweet Sixteen and two Final Four appearances while graduating over 93 percent of my players . . . and KU fans think you're sitting in my chair."
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