Being an athlete is something that requires endless amounts of inspiration, perspiration, and determination. No matter what sport you play, if you’re going to be good, you need to have the mindset of a champion. That means surrounding yourself with inspiration that’s going to help you think that way. If you’re going for the gold, you’re going to need to keep yourself thinking about that as much as possible. 

Every athlete has someone they look up to in their sport. They can likely list off their name, their number, their statistics, and even some random facts about them as a person. Often, these athletes seem to step beyond the realm of humanity to the people who love them. They’re heroes who fight with passion, intensity, and vigor, and everyone who knows them wants to be them. Often, these heroes are the kind of people that athletes need to be looking to for inspiration. 

The best way to stay inspired is to surround yourself with reminders of your goals. This can mean pasting sticky notes all over, getting tattoos, or any other desperate way to remind yourself what you really want. But by far, the best way to remind yourself of your goals is to put them around your living space, workplace, or anywhere else you spend a lot of time. 

At Canvas Cultures, it’s our goal to help people stay inspired, and we do that through creating high-quality canvas prints, designed and created by incredibly talented independent artists. Here are a few of the selections from our Sports section!

1. Forever 24, by Ross Baines

Kobe Bryant is one of the most iconic and influential basketball players and athletes of the past decades. His incredible skill at the game of basketball has influenced thousands, if not millions of players, everywhere from high school to college to professional leagues. He is one of the best players to ever play the game, and his legacy even stretches outside of the courts. If you’ve ever shouted “Kobe!” as you’ve thrown something, aiming for a perfect hit, then you’ve been a part of Kobe Bryant’s incredible legacy as not only a basketball player but as a person. 

This incredible design by independent artist Ross Baines shows Kobe Bryant in his natural state; passionate, zealous, and probably victorious. His legendary number 24 has been ingrained in basketball fans as a whole. 

No matter if they were fans of his team or not, when they watched him compete, they knew that Kobe was most likely the best basketball player on the court. His universal acclaim and unilateral skill at the game will ensure that Kobe Bryant goes down in history as one of the finest basketball players ever. This canvas can serve to inspire and encourage any athlete and remind them of what greatness is and how worthwhile it is to achieve.

2. Rack Em, by Bart Cooper

The game of pool is a game for everyone. You don’t necessarily have to be incredible at it to enjoy it, but almost everyone can pick up a pool cue and have a good time. The goal of the game is simple; get your patterned balls in, and by all means, avoid the dreaded eight ball. 

Despite its fairly low bar of entrance, pool is a game that is truly meant to be played by masters. It’s not easy to be the best at the game, but when you put in the hours and effort to practice, your mastery of the game is something that can really buy respect, anywhere from the bar to your friend’s basement. 

This gorgeously created illustration by Bart Cooper shows a vintage set of pool balls at their best. There are few things more aesthetically pleasing than the sight of a fully arranged set of pool balls, ready to be played. Their bright colors are exciting on their own, but the artist made sure to accentuate the intensity and vibrancy of the balls, so that they are sure to inspire anyone to greatness in the world’s most open game. Next time you need to settle a bet in a good old-fashioned way, remember the elegant game of pool and all the rewards that come with mastering it. 

3. Take The Stairs, by Shelly Bombshell

Everyone, no matter who or where they are, needs to work for success. It doesn’t come easy for anyone, least of all athletes. Along the way, there will be wins, losses, late nights, and early mornings, but they’re all just steps on the way to success in what you do. This can apply to everyone in every area of their lives; the way to the top is long, hard, and tedious, but for those with the grit and determination to make it, it will be worth it. For any player of any sport, this mentality isn’t just a helpful tip; it’s a lifestyle. 

There are countless stories of athletes who started out on the very bottom but slowly and surely fought, competed, and battled their way to the top. This is how the world works, and this is how people become their best selves. 

This immaculate illustration by Shelly Bombshell can help any hard worker remember where they are and where they want to be. Even though it might seem easier to find another way up, this canvas will remind anyone to “take the stairs.” Will it be easy? Not a chance. But will it be worth it? Without a doubt. 

4. Viva La France, by David Clemmensen

No matter where you live, it’s hard to deny that soccer (or football in most places other than the USA) is the top sport in the world. Different countries have different passions, but globally, soccer is by far the most popular sport. There are virtually no other sports that attract such a wide range of people, from Europe to South America to Asia to the United States. Some people say that soccer is the world’s universal language, because even if there’s a language barrier, many people can still communicate through the shared passion of soccer. 

One of the most renowned and popular teams in the world is the French soccer team. They play incredibly well and are often at the top of the world for soccer. France is also full of an incredibly large number of soccer lovers, and so this esteemed position in the worldwide soccer league is even more important to them. To pay tribute to that, brilliant designer David Clemmensen created this incredible illustration of the Eiffel Tower combining with the world cup for soccer. 

This is an image of national pride, athletic victory, and many, many years of constant effort and competition. This is a design that surely speaks volumes to any soccer player and any athlete whose main aspiration is to honor their home country and team. 

5. At The Wall, by Aaron Williams

When it comes to precision and accuracy, few sports can compete with the intensity that comes with being a baseball player. They need to be spot on accurately and swing with everything they have every time they’re up to bat. It’s so difficult that even the very best players tend to only be able to hit around one out of any three pitches. It’s a tough sport and requires years of practice and training to become good at it. 

On the other side of the field, there are the people who need to catch the balls. Successfully catching a small ball that can fit in the palm of your hand that’s flying at high speeds from hundreds of feet away is no small feat. It takes literally massive amounts of practice to consistently catch baseballs as an outfielder, and so it should come as no surprise that when a player successfully catches a ball that goes just over the border, it’s an amazing feat, to be sure. 

This incredible feat is the one that the incredible artist Aaron Williams captured in this inspiring canvas design. It’s not an easy task to catch something like that, and the fact that it has been done before shows how much effort and time baseball players put into their craft. It’s a challenge for sure, but one that has a lot of glory and esteem built into it. 

Conclusion

Every athlete needs inspiration. The amount of effort and dedication that players put into their sport is truly breathtaking and enough to wow almost anyone. It’s always important to surround yourself with reminders of your passion and goal; whether it's a player, a team, an achievement, or a mindset, virtually everyone needs inspiration to succeed. 

At Canvas Cultures, we have these, as well as many other high-quality canvases up for sale all around. These are created by the best independent artists we can find so that you can have the best quality art in your living spaces. Check out our sports selection or motivation selection for more options, and best of luck accomplishing your goals and changing the world! 

Sources: 

Kobe Bryant: Best Basketball Player Ever | Bleacher Report

Soccer Is the World’s Most Popular Sport and Still Growing | Bloomberg

MLB Baseball Career Batting Leaders - Major League Baseball | ESPN