Leadership Skills In John Wooden's Iron Horse

Great athletes have the desire to be the best they can be. John Wooden always told his team, “Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best you are capable of becoming.” The goal in life is just the same as in sports; make an effort to do your very best. Making the effort in marriage, at your job, in the community, and for your country. An athlete does have, and should have, control of themselves and the effort they give towards bringing out their best in whatever they’re doing. The fundamental rule an athlete must understand that Coach John Wooden’s father told his son, “Never try to be better than someone else. Never cease trying to be the best you can be. That is under your control. The other isn’t.” Motivation is the beginning to a task. A person must express an interest in developing as an athlete and even as a person, and be willing to continue the efforts in achieving their goal. …show more content…
John Wooden relates, “some believe that sports build character, I believe that sports reveal character.” One player who showed great leadership skills both on and off the field was Lou Gehrig. The “Iron Horse” was a key figure for the New York Yankees in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Today you often see many athletes drawing attention to themselves or showboating. The Smithsonian Channel states, “Gehrig let his actions on the baseball field tell his story.” In comparison, a leader would let their actions speak. Everyone has ego, but it is being an exceptional person who can keep their ego under control. Ego can transition into arrogance when some get the feeling of being too important, believing they can do the job without trying or showing no effort. What professional athletes of today must understand, they are no different than what they were