Our motivational posters come in 16x20 and 20x30 insize. We can use a studio or action photo. You then choose the text below based on your photo and we will then add the text to your image. Below is a sample using the soccer text "The Next Ninety Minutes"

 

 

 

Soccer - THE NEXT NINETY MINUTES

"As I walk to the field, I narrow my focus for the next ninety minutes on a common goal. This goal, victory, begins with the discipline and focus of the individual, but is attained through the organization and execution of the team. For the next ninety minutes, this team is my family. Two distinct uniforms separate us from them. As the ball is set down at midfield, I let my hand touch the pitch, marking the beginning of this land and aerial contest. Hours of labor sharpen my body and mind providing the formula for excellence: Spacing, ball control, and precision being the common denominators. The constant transition between attacking and defending creates seams only the most cohesive units capitalize on. This is a game where the sum of eleven individual efforts are combined into one, and no one person is more important than the other. I can excel only through a unit that works together as one, executing all I know about this game to give my team the best chance of winning in The Next Ninety Minutes."

 

BASKETBALL - WANTING THE BALL

They want the ball – the great ones. They want it when stakes are both low and high. When the odds are against, and when the odds are for them. Selfish? Hardly. This is a special kind of recognition: Understanding that in any situation, a great moment is one second, minute, hour from occurring, and that it needs to be defined, and that in order to be the definer, they must certainly have the ball. Risky? Extremely. The agents of great undertakings are willing to put themselves in positions of potentially great failure, but they also possess an innate knowledge that they will succeed, for without this certainty, who is the great one? Is this arrogance? No. This is self–knowledge. The great ones know themselves, their capabilities, and they address their own weaknesses with vigor, courage, and fear. Yes – fear. The fear of failure is what drives the great ones. Not the fear of an opponent, but the fear of failings that they could have avoided with more work. And the greater fear: The fear of losing, which to the great ones is simply not acceptable. The great one is inside of you, waiting to be unleashed. Do not be selfish. Understand the importance of all moments. You must take risks. You must look failure and fear in the eyes with equal amounts of ferocity and calm. You must know yourself, must recall where you have been, and must know where it is you wish to go. When you do, you will be the one people turn to, the definer of moments. And you will, most certainly, be the one Wanting The Ball.

 

BASEBALL - WELCOME HOME

The count is 3 and 2 and someone is going to have to make a play. I want it to be me. The sport is called softball, but there is nothing soft about this ball. About players who play it. About coaches who swear by it. About the unforgiving infield dirt or the lush grass in the outfield. The batter’s box, the mound – all perfect cuts of a diamond that I don’t wear around my neck or in my ears. This, the softball diamond, is not a reflection of riches, but rather, this diamond enriches in many ways. The pop of the ball in leather and explosion off bat. In the raspberries after a gutsy slide, having just stretched a single into a double. And always, in the unspoken dialogue between batter and pitcher. Enrichment further comes with teammates, laughing about comparisons of underhand to overhand pitching, a comparison I do not dignify with argument. Two words: forty feet. Life on this diamond is about speed, sweat and infield dirt. It’s about exceeding perceived limits of training, realizing precision, then making the big play when it matters most. And then there is the count, which life will always present in various forms. But today, I must make this count part of my history, one that will reflect the courage and determination I have shown on the field and have injected into this game. I yearn for these days under the sun, striding out of a coil and into perfect connection with a screaming ball. In the end, win or lose, today and everyday I welcome 3 and 2. And because I am one who will always confront the possibility of failure while expecting the opposite, I know my teammates, my coaches, and our fans will always give me, a true ballplayer, what I have earned: A warm Welcome Home.

 

WRESTLING - OUT FOR ONE

Anxiousness. It is manifest in my heartbeat in the long hours and sacred silent minutes before every match. It stabs me like the pangs of hunger during fasts breeding discipline of body, strength of mind, and fortitude of soul. And it’s overcome when I introduce my opponent’s face to the mat, to its texture and smell; softened and intensified over the course of a thousand training sessions and through the absorption of gallons of human sweat. In the world’s oldest sport, all questions about fear and determination are addressed in the exact moments when in my opponent’s eyes I clearly read that knees – or heart – will fold. And they are answered beyond any shadow of doubt when I squeeze the lock and score a fall. I will not weaken, for the only way I can become a champion is to welcome and endure that which I fear most – the possibility of being beaten – by seasoned teammates one day, and by unknown foes in foreign gyms the next. After hours, days, and weeks of willing myself into the house of painful repetition, the bruises begin to fade. Quads burn less. Pain enters more slowly as body and mind are hardened, reconstructed, and refined. In the end, stepping out of the circle with arms raised in victory is not about outside obstacles, nameless opponents, or even the taste of my own blood. It’s about confronting my own pain, and through this, exceeding my own potential. It’s about transforming anxiousness into power. It’s about me. Family, coaches, teammates: I cherish their support. But on the mat, there are no kinships except with the mat itself. Here, I must be, more than anything, Out For One.

 

FIREFIGHTER - WHO AM I

"My profession is somewhat unique in comparison to that of the average person. At any one fixed moment in time when duty calls upon me, I am prepared to sacrifice my own life to save the lives of others I may not even know. I am willing to do this because I understand that we all make choices in life. As for myself, this is the choice and path of service that I have chosen to follow. Though my job is often rewarding, it can also be unsettling. I often reflect upon the simplicity of one question, "Who am I?" At times, I cannot provide this answer, not even for myself. So, "Who am I" to choose a profession in life that regularly shows no mercy for the preciousness of life? "Who am I" to willingly, without hesitation, invite myself into some of the most uninviting situations known to mankind? "Who am I", so that when duty calls, may never again lay eyes on the loved ones I could leave behind? The assumed simplicity of this question is not so simple after all. Understanding "Who I am" may be difficult to answer at times. However, all I need to do is pause, think about, and remember those lives I have positively influenced and maybe even saved. All I need to do is look back on the years of service I have given to my community and realize that I helped make the world a safer place in which to live. In my heart, I know I made a difference. "Who am I?" I am a Firefighter!"

 

VOLLEYBALL - DREAMS ON THE COURT

"Looking through the net, the sound around me begins to fade. As the first whistle blows, my purpose in life is altered. My existence here on Earth is now being evaluated through a single struggle: Staying between the ball and the floor. Though a constant struggle, it is a struggle I love to win, and will win. I achieve this through stealing victories from a floor that doesn't know limits to greed. In a game of anticipation and quick reactions, I cannot allow the ball to hit the floor. I drum up all of my will and energy to get to every ball, remembering that saving a ball is like keeping a dream alive. I push my body to reach as far as it can reach, jump as high as it can jump, dive as far as it can dive, reminding myself that this is a small price to pay for a game that has given me so much. And when my body hits the floor so the ball does not, I realize I have won the battle. As the last whistle blows and the game has ended, I glare back at the lonely ball, grateful that it will soon join me again in my Dreams On The Court."

 

SPORTS GENERAL - THE LOCKER ROOM

"The mind of an athlete is a powerful weapon. My weapon begins working each time I step into the locker room. A special room, my room, where my pregame rituals always remain the same. It is in this room where I first take seat on the bench, when I mentally begin preparing myself for the game. I begin with a thought process which tells me there are two kinds of athletes in this world: Athletes who set goals and meet them. And athletes who set goals but never act on them. Myself, I am an athlete, born and raised. I act on the goals I set for myself! As I begin to undress the layer of life which matters no more, I remind myself how lucky I really am. How lucky I am to have my health. How lucky I am to have been given these abilities to play this game that I love so much. But most of all, how lucky I am to dress myself with pride in this uniform once again. As I lace up my shoes and look around the room, I pray that my teammates have similar thoughts. I pray that they understand the significance of this room. That this is our meeting place. The place where we have shared so many good times, but also helped one another get through the bad. The place where we have come together again to prepare ourselves for another fight of our lives. I have now fine-tuned my weapon, and I am ready to make my goals become reality. I am ready to go out there and play this game as if it were the last game I were ever able to play. I reflect upon one final thought: How thankful I am for the opportunity to once again enter and leave The Locker Room."

 

OLD SCHOOL ATHLETE - LIVE TO PLAY

""Each of us contains an invisible part of our bodies we cannot see, but one that we can feel. This part of our body is called the soul. It is through our souls that we search for the meaning of life. However, one cannot discover the meaning of life without fulfilling the soul first. Some people search their entire lives without ever truly finding or understanding what the meaning of life is for them, or how they can fulfill their souls. For the athlete, it is simple. Through athletics, the meaning of life is often discovered at a young age. Fulfillment of the soul is then achieved through the athlete's understanding that he cannot live without competitive athletics. In other words, the Old School Athlete must Live To Play."

 

HOCKEY - THE ULTIMATE GOAL

"My world exists in a place known only to those who have been here before. It is a place that allows me to escape the daily routine of life, to experience moments all my own, yet shared with others. My world exists on the ice, where I retain lifelong memories filled with the grandeur of battles past. It is here that life gives me opportunities to delve into a world only hockey players can appreciate. A world where anticipation is heavy with fear as I lace up my skates, knowing fate is in my hands with the stick that I taped. What would I do without this game in my life, or the place where dreams are made? What would I do without the dressing room, the smell of sweat-dried equipment, and the chatter of small talk as I prepare to go to war? What would I do without the cold crisp air burning my lungs as I skate hours on end, early mornings, late nights? What would I do without the travelling of great distances to take to the ice, or the sounds of pucks banging off battle-scarred boards? There is only one thing to do, and that would be to do it again, knowing that I wouldn't change it for anything. You see, each time I put on my jersey, I take pride in the very crest that means I am part of something special: A group of athletes willing to sacrifice individual achievements for The Ultimate Goal."

 

BASKETBALL - RETURN TO HEAVEN

"As I cross over the line from the outside world and set foot onto the hardwood of a basketball court, I transcend into a being that words cannot describe. No longer do I concern myself with worldly problems. Now I am in my domain, my Heaven here on Earth. With each stride that I take and every creak I hear in the floor, I embrace punishment, fearing someone else may be working harder than me. I notice the smell of pride in the air, and this excites me. The blood, sweat and tears from the agony of defeat and joy of sweet victory circulate a most unique essence like none other I have ever been able to find. Deep within my heart lies a security in knowing that not only has my pride contributed to this essence, but that the blood, sweat and tears of players past have contributed to it as well. And we must not forget the ones who taught us what pride really means. This is sacred to me, reminding me that I have given everything I ever had and put it all into the great game of basketball. I have given my heart and soul to this game. So whenever I leave my domain, I always take with me the anxiety and the yearning from deep within my soul that just can't wait until my next "Return To Heaven."

 

SWIMMING - BENEATH THE SURFACE

"I was born on the land, but am at home in the water. It is in the water when I have my purpose, where reliable habits and routines command my body. Conditioned by countless strokes, my arms and legs settle into a graceful rhythm. Kick, pull, kick, pull, and breathe. I have only one mind-set: To be faster than my opponents. As time passes and the water removes my senses, I concentrate on making my strokes stronger and more efficient. My mind focuses on practices I have already completed, and visualizes races I have yet to win. Pain consumes me, making me a prisoner of my own thoughts. With this pain, I cry out into the void where nobody can hear me. Still I swim. My resolve strengthens as my arms tighten and my legs throb unmercifully. A private war rages on as I swim, struggling to grasp a substance that cannot be grasped. Every breath a treasure to my burning lungs. I must battle my own body and mind as I push myself towards the end, knowing I alone will be responsible for my successes and failures. I alone, a swimmer Beneath The Surface."

 

FOOTBALL - BLESSING FROM THE BATTLEFIELD

"The warrior spirit reminds me that no one can stop me today: That this is my day. Hidden inside of me is a warrior who reacts on instinct waiting to be released. As I buckle my chinstrap, instinct consumes my body and mind, knowing that I have worked harder and prepared myself to conquer the man across from me. Life will no longer be the same. I will push myself to unbearable pain only to have that pain fade away each time the ball is snapped. Fatigue plays no favorites in football. It only fears those who have worked hard in the days before the game. I visualize myself making plays only champions could make. My heart races as the game is fast and bodies move in blurred motion. Blood and sweat bead off my body as the game goes on. My emotions take over, challenging my limits. It's simple! The battlefield is made up of warriors that play an intense game based upon the elements of speed, strength and endurance. This game is a way of life, and it has taught me all that I know. After each battle, I lie physically exhausted, left only to ponder on the Blessings From The Battlefield."

 

FOR MOTHERS OF ATHLETES

"Though I have not told you enough, I am telling you now. Through my eyes, this is the story of my love and appreciation thanking you for all you do and have done for me. Your sacrifices to make me a better person and athlete have never gone unrecognized. My remembrances of you: "I looked out the front window and saw you, alone, shopping bag cradled in your arms. In one hour, I will race out of the house to go to my game, and you will watch my departure as you always do, out the same front window. But not before you had warmed a plate for me, as I never left the house hungry. Yet I always left the house hungry. Hungry for the chance to compete another day. Hungry to be better than my opponent. Hungry to win this game. It is because you watch me out that window, because you pray for me as I walk down the street, because your sideline seats are never empty, and because I know there is no real strength in this world save for that which is instilled or inspired by you. Were you not here, I would not be complete. It is in these moments when I see you, Mother: When there is a home in this world I know, where the image of your beautiful smile in that window is once again etched inside a memory that will never forget. When I look in your eyes, I see that you understand the spirit inside me that needs to compete. So late at night, when I lie awake in bed, realizing your unconditional love for me as I hear your footsteps walking away from my bedroom door, I know I am not the sole host to a fighting heart. We fight together to survive, you and I, mother and child. You are the cornerstone holding this family together." Give me the ball! This game is For My Mother

 

FOR FATHERS OF ATHLETES

"My heart is filled with pride to call myself your child, as I have been blessed by the grace of God to love you, respect you, and honor you the way a Father like you deserves. I live life at peace with myself knowing that I will never look at myself in the mirror and regret one single thing about our relationship together. My remembrances of you: “From the inner core of my soul, I will forever hear and listen to your voice of wisdom calming me before my games, ‘Relax out there today, and let the game come to you.’ Understand, Father, that I have known for many years there could not possibly be a value placed on your wisdom you have shared with me, in life as well as with my athletics. Understand also that I have struggled for years with finding the proper words that might offer justice next to your name, my Father, or the one person who has unconditionally believed in me throughout. I will not go on another day without you knowing just how thankful I truly am for the person you are, have been, and always will be: My Father, the one who has helped me achieve all I have achieved on my journey through life. You have been and always will be a most influential figure that molded me into the person I know I want to be in life. Long ago, you shaped a small child into a young adult, and then over the years watched that young adult become someone I only pray you are proud of. Always know in your heart that I am one person who knows true fortune in life: Fortune that I was born unto you. So I would like to take this time to thank you Father for all life’s lessons you have passed onto me throughout the years. Thank you for teaching me the importance of a dream, and how without those dreams, full potentials are difficult to reach. Thank you for your sideline inspirations, as your presence at my games had an indescribable way of easing my anxieties that will forever dwell inside a grateful heart. But most importantly, I cherish this opportunity in thanking you for making every game that you could.” Give me the ball! This game is For My Father."

 

A TEACHERS CREED

"In the classroom on the first day of a new school year, I am eager to meet my students. I have rehearsed my greeting and first day’s remarks, but no matter how many years I’ve prepared for this procedure, it’s always new. My heart pumps a bit harder, faster; I feel adrenaline like an athlete, or like an actor, or maybe like a novice public speaker. It’s a marvelous feeling, this first day, because I know that something special is going to happen, and I know it because I’ve experienced it before and I know that I will experience it every time I meet a new class throughout my venerable career. And then they’re seated before me and I smile at this special feeling. This is an assembly of students, yes. But there’s so much more, because each of these young persons is more than just a student entrusted to me. Each of these students has a story to tell, a lifetime, however brief, of experiences, a history in volumes whose richness and depth I can barely begin to fathom. And so as I absorb the first glimpse of these young charges, I must appreciate the extent of my responsibility, of the privilege I’ve accepted in presenting these young souls my special knowledge. In offering them my talent and passion, I am adding an enormous array of new bright stars to the vast firmament of their minds, stars that will never have time to fade in their lifetimes. I will be part of their story. And I know that each of them will always be part of mine. And that’s a good feeling, a feeling that is perpetually renewed, revisited, and rewritten in A Teacher’s Creed."

 

POLICE OFFICER

"There are two words that when put together mean many different things to many different people. Two words that can put smiles on people¹s faces or anxiety in their hearts. Two words that may strike hatred in some and love in others. Two words that are more than just words. They are a title, an occupation, and a career. Better yet, they are two words that describe a lifestyle. A lifestyle like no other for the men and women who choose to place a badge on their chest and promise to serve and protect. A lifestyle that may require that person to in a split second save someone's life while risking their own. A lifestyle that requires that person to face good and bad every single day that others don¹t see. A lifestyle that asks that person to wake up every morning without the assurance they will come home that night. Two words mean all that. Two words that should forever be remembered. Those Two Small Words are Police Officer!"

 

POLICE OFFICER - 2 SMALL WORDS

There are two words that when put together mean many different things to many different people. Two words that can put smiles on people’s faces or anxiety in their hearts. Two words that may strike hatred in some and love in others. Two words that are more than just words. They are a title, an occupation, and a career. Better yet, they are two words that describe a lifestyle. A lifestyle like no other for the men and women who choose to place a badge on their chest and promise to serve and protect. A lifestyle that may require that person to in a split second save someone’s life while risking their own. A lifestyle that requires that person to face good and bad every single day that others don’t see. A lifestyle that asks that person to wake up every morning without the assurance they will come home that night. Two words mean all that. Two words that should forever be remembered. Those Two Small Words are Police Officer!"

 

TRACK & CROSS COUNTRY - THE RUN WITHIN

"I awaken to the world’s turn, the world’s run. The day before me lies bare outside my window, there for the running. There may be dew on the ground, there may be snow, there may be rain, or the ground may be dry. But I will find the trail, the path, the track or the road because none will come to me. To begin, I pain myself in routine stretch, where hamstring sting momentarily interrupts the butterflies in my helpless gut. I crave a run’s symphony: the whispered breeze a quick sprint brings, gravel or leaves crunching beneath striding feet, the dance-like tap of toes on concrete or track where hurdles and milestones are systematically conquered — how they mysteriously fade into dynamic sounds within: the heart’s rhythmic pound, the echo of cadenced breathing. I define distance using lines — lane lines, start and finish lines, the lines of roads and sidewalks and of beautiful horizon — how they blur while I methodically stride out and how they sharpen again when moist eyes blink hard near a run's culmination. I confront unforgiving hills with vigor, and I embrace the inevitable exhaustion that follows. And before I outrun either time or opponent or the world’s turn, I remember that running smart supersedes running hard. I awaken to my own path: the path that allows burning feet to lay tracks. A path to one more hill. One more mile. One second faster. I awaken to the run outside, and each day I live The Run Within."