Inspirational sports speeches can have a big impact on a team and players. We combed the Internet to find some of the best motivational sports speeches. We looked at famous sports speeches, sports movie speeches, post-game speeches, pre-game speeches, half-time speeches, and sports award speeches.
Basketball speeches, football speeches, baseball speeches, hockey speeches, and many other sports were considered. If you have any recommendations, please let us know.
- Great Speeches on Sports
- Sports Speeches
- Coach Saban Pre-game Speech – 2023 SEC Championship
- Georgia Tech Chaplain Derrick Moore's motivational speech before GT takes on Notre Dame
- Iowa State's Paul Rhoads' post-game speech after the Cyclones' upset of Nebraska
- Kansas Bill Self's pre-game speech to the Jayhawks before the 2008 championship game
- "We Are Marshall" pre-game speech
- Coach Dale's Hoosiers Pre-Game Talk
- Al Pacino's "Any Given Sunday" speech (inch by inch, play by play…)
- By Mike O'Halloran
Great Speeches on Sports
Here are some of our favorite sports speeches.
Jimmy Valvano Speech on the Beginning of the V Foundation
Jimmy Valvano, aka Jimmy V, was an American basketball coach and broadcaster. He is known for winning the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament with his North Carolina Wolfpack, his valiant fight against cancer, and this speech. The ESPY Awards celebration was the site for this speech.
His announcement of the Jimmy V Foundation and its motto, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up,” left a lasting impression on those who heard him deliver it.
Speech excerpt:
“I know I’ve got to go. I’ve got to go, and I got one last thing. I’ve said it before, and I’m gonna say it again. Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind. It cannot touch my heart. And it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever. I thank you, and God bless y’all.”
Coach Herb Brook’s (Kurt Russell) Speech
This was the pregame speech given by Herb Brooks before Team USA played Russia in the Miracle on Ice — the 1980 Olympics Semifinals game.
4-year-old Joshua Sacco performs Herb Brook’s speech by memory
You gotta love this reenactment of the speech. Impressively, young Mr. Sacco recited most of this speech from memory.
Sports Speeches
Here are some more inspirational speeches.
Coach Saban Pre-game Speech – 2023 SEC Championship
Fire and passion, and yet short and to the point.
Georgia Tech Chaplain Derrick Moore’s motivational speech before GT takes on Notre Dame
Put me in, coach; I’m ready to play today!
Iowa State’s Paul Rhoads’ post-game speech after the Cyclones’ upset of Nebraska
Celebration speeches in the locker room can be fun.
Kansas Bill Self’s pre-game speech to the Jayhawks before the 2008 championship game
Motivating the squad.
“We Are Marshall” pre-game speech
Inspirational.
Coach Dale’s Hoosiers Pre-Game Talk
For the picket fence play to work, you need to focus on the task at hand.
Al Pacino’s “Any Given Sunday” speech (inch by inch, play by play…)
Dang, these professional actors are good at sports speeches.
I hope you enjoyed these inspirational sports speeches.
By Mike O’Halloran
Founder and Editor, Sports Feel Good Stories
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