Scott Hamilton quotes

Scott Hamilton is an American figure skater, renowned for winning the Olympic gold medal in 1984 and for his dynamic performances. His innovative footwork and backflips made him one of the most popular skaters of his era. He has since become a beloved commentator and tireless advocate for cancer research. Here are 29 of his quotes:

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. (Scott Hamilton)
I had a ninth grade teacher who told me I was much smarter and much better than I was allowing myself to be. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless. View quote
Scott Hamilton
The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded. View quote
Scott Hamilton
What was really funny is that as I got older all those guys who called me a sissy in junior high school wanted me to be their best friend because they wanted to meet all the girls that I knew in figure skating. View quote
Scott Hamilton
And the fact that I liked to show off and be the center of attention really lends itself to figure skating very well. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Without strength and courage it's really hard to perform at the highest levels of international figure skating, because you're alone on the ice and you only have seven minutes over two nights to prove yourself. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Most other competitions are individual achievements, but the Olympic Games is something that belongs to everybody. View quote
Scott Hamilton
I was nine-years-old when I first put on skates. View quote
Scott Hamilton
And so figure skating was a great vehicle for me to kind of be competitive at something, without having to be big. View quote
Scott Hamilton
I didn't want to be the sissy figure skater, you know. (Scott Hamilton)
That's what makes the Ryder Cup in golf so much better than the Masters or the U.S. Open. To be a part of something that is not about personal achievement, but about representing everyone and sharing it with the whole country, it's wonderful. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Half of figure skating is opinion, convincing judges. View quote
Scott Hamilton
So as an amateur Olympic competitor I loved criticism, because it made me better. But now as a professional I don't really know how to channel it or where to take it, so I don't take it quite as well. View quote
Scott Hamilton
I just try to touch people's hearts in a way through skating, so they're not just witnessing a performance, they're feeling a performance and they're a part of it. View quote
Scott Hamilton
I was more interested in skating and the girls and traveling than I was in calculus. View quote
Scott Hamilton
I graduated a the top of my class in the '84 Olympic Games; I won a gold medal. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Male figure skating is different than female figure skating; we're not America's sweetheart. View quote
Scott Hamilton
When you turn professional, you become an entertainer, and like every other entertainer, you don't want to get a bad review. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Everything that I've ever been able to accomplish in skating and in life has come out of adversity and perseverance. View quote
Scott Hamilton
Always try to maintain complete tolerance and always make an effort to give people more than they expect. (Scott Hamilton)
I started skating and I kind of liked it because I could run circles around the guys that wouldn't pick me to play baseball. View quote
Scott Hamilton
When you're expected to win and you have the press saying that you are going to win the Olympic gold medal, and you're the only sure thing in the Olympics, it can undermine your confidence. View quote
Scott Hamilton
But I never really thought that I would be extraordinarily successful at skating, it's just something that happened, you know. View quote
Scott Hamilton
I don't think most teachers realize how much impact they have. View quote
Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton - Image
Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
Occupation: American Athlete
Born: August 28, 1958
Quotes count: 29