John Wooden a.k.a The Wizard of Westwood died early this morning at the age of 99. For my money he is, and will always be, the greatest coach in the history of American sports. As the head coach of the UCLA Men's Basketball Team for 27 years, he won 664 games and 10 consecutive National Championships between 1964 and 1975, his final year as coach. In addition his team holds the NCAA record for longest winning streak (88) and most perfect 30-0 seasons (4).
More importantly, Wooden ensured the men he mentored were not simply good basketball players (consider he coached the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton while at UCLA), but good human beings. His "Pyramid of Success" received massive attention and became a technique that's still widely used by college coaches. Wooden remained involved with the team up until his death, meeting with recruits and players whenever possible and a fixture at UCLA home games, sitting gingerly in his reserved seat at Pauley Pavilion.
Anyone somewhat familiar with American sports knows how sad of a day this is. While there's no doubt his enormous legacy will live on, take a look at Wooden's Seven Point Creed and try and apply it to your life as a thank you to the great coach and an even greater man. R.I.P.
Wooden's Seven Point Creed:
* Be true to yourself.
* Make each day your masterpiece.
* Help others.
* Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
* Make friendship a fine art.
* Build a shelter against a rainy day.
* Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
Read:
"UCLA legendary coach John Wooden dies at age 99"
