Top 20 Quotes & Sayings by Tony DiCicco

Placing blame on others is easy. Taking responsibility for yourself is empowering.

Don't get angry; get better.

Have a vision and then create your own reality. Otherwise, someone else may create it for you.

The smartest thing is knowing that I don't know it all and that there's more to learn.

I don't know how smart I am, but I was a student of the game and I still watch games and still pick up things. If you watch individual players you will see genius.

Overseas, kids grow up in a soccer culture. The German player sees the game eons above the American player the same age.

If you put good people around you, I guess you're smart. You learn from them and that makes you a better coach.

You can't have assistant coaches who aren't loyal - but you can learn a lot from your assistant coaches.

If I win, I attract other good players and by doing that I win more games.

Chemistry is a contribution that teammates make to each other, but it's also something a coach can create or facilitate.

Youth soccer is big business. If I don't win, it doesn't matter if I'm developing players, my business is going to hell.

I put myself around good people, including my assistant coaches. A lot of head coaches are intimidated by their assistant coaches, they'd rather get people that are far less talented than them because it's not threatening.

I don't blame the players, I don't blame the parents, I blame programs and I blame the coaches.

To some, challenges are exhausting. To others, they are opportunities in waiting.

It takes courage to dream big and then to allow nothing to prevent you from realizing that dream.

When you set a goal, write it down and then it's like making a promise to yourself.

At a youth soccer game you'll probably hear parents and coaches on the sidelines yelling, 'Pass the ball! Pass the ball!' ... When we continually tell our young players to pass the ball, we're not allowing them to develop their full potential, especially those who have the ability to take their opponents on and beat them one-on-one. As a result, we run the risk of diminishing a player's artistry and potential.

Don't whine. Find the positive in difficult situations.

Talent is not enough. It's an important component in a successful performance, but it's really only a starting point.

Coaching soccer, like disciplines including journalism, you'll always learn if you're open to it, you'll learn from your players. If that's being smart, fair enough.