Many consider John Wooden to be the greatest basketball coach ever, possibly the best team sport coach ever. Every basketball fan knows how successful he was at UCLA, but he started his coaching career in college in 1946 with Indiana State Teachers College (now Indiana State University). He coached through 1948 and helped lead his team to the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference title in 1947 and an invitation to the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball National Tournament in Kansas City. He refused the invitation, however, because the league did not allow African-American players. One of the stars on Wooden’s team was African-American—Clarence Walker, from East Chicago, Indiana. The league reversed its policy the next season, and Walker became the first African-American player to participate in in any post-season
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Former player Lynn Shackelford said that the coach, besides learning about basketball, taught him “a path to an honest and honorable way to live for a lifetime." Former UCLA basketball player John Vallely said that Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success” showed he was an even greater coach in life and “led me to be a better husband, father, businessman and coach. He was a mentor and confidant for most of the important decisions in my life. My wife, Karen, and I shall miss him dearly.” Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavky said the coach, who died at 99, June 4, 2010, quoted from the Bible and poetry “until his dying day.”
John Wooden often quoted from a poem by former UCLA and NBA player Swen Nader that showed he wasn’t afraid of dying, because His Savior lives. In it, the writer recalled once being petrified at dying and leaving his friends. In it, he added, he now awaited the departure of death and chance to be united with Jesus.
“What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player,” Wooden once said, as quoted by brainyquote.com, showing his philosophy for
Former player Lynn Shackelford said that the coach, besides learning about basketball, taught him “a path to an honest and honorable way to live for a lifetime." Former UCLA basketball player John Vallely said that Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success” showed he was an even greater coach in life and “led me to be a better husband, father, businessman and coach. He was a mentor and confidant for most of the important decisions in my life. My wife, Karen, and I shall miss him dearly.” Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavky said the coach, who died at 99, June 4, 2010, quoted from the Bible and poetry “until his dying day.”
John Wooden often quoted from a poem by former UCLA and NBA player Swen Nader that showed he wasn’t afraid of dying, because His Savior lives. In it, the writer recalled once being petrified at dying and leaving his friends. In it, he added, he now awaited the departure of death and chance to be united with Jesus.
“What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player,” Wooden once said, as quoted by brainyquote.com, showing his philosophy for