just read 'they call me coach' by john wooden whose teams won 10 college basketball championships in the last 12 years or so of his career at ucla. just want to share some of the highlights from this book, from this man who has meant so much to me. in everything he said and did in reference to being a teacher-role model to his players he sought to point them to Christ. basketball was only the template by which he sought to picture Jesus.
most famous is his pyramid of success in which he sought to teach his players the principles necessary for doing well in basketball with a view to practicing the same in order to do well in life. the pyramids base has 5 principles topped by 4,3,2 and then 1 principle, the lowest and lower all necessary for the achievement of the higher, highest. i will type their contents below starting with the lowest and working up.
INDUSTRIOUSNESS - there is no substitute for work. worthwhile things come from hard work and careful planning.
FRIENDSHIP - comes from mutual esteem, respect and devotion. a sincere liking for all.
LOYALTY - to yourself and to all those dependent upon you. keep your self-respect.
COOPERATION - with all levels of your co-workers. help others and see the other side
ENTHUSIASM - your heart must be in your work. stimulate others.
(each level is bound to the next by two principles, one on each side of the pyramid) the bottom is bound to the next by,
AMBITION properly focused
SINCERITY makes friends
SELF-CONTROL - emotions under control; delicate adjustment between mind and body. keep judgment and common sense
ALERTNESS - be observing constantly.; be quick to spot a weakness and correct it or use it as the case may warrant
INITIATIVE - cultivate the ability to make decisions and think alone; desire to excel
INTENTNESS - ability to resist temptation and stay with your course; concentrate on your objective and be determined to reach your goal
bound to the next level by,
ADAPTABILITY to any situation
HONESTY in all ways
CONDITION - MENTAL/MORAL/PHYSICAL rest, exercise and diet must be considered. moderation must be practiced. dissipation must be eliminated
SKILL - a knowledge of and the ability to properly execute the fundamentals.; be prepared; cover every detail
TEAM SPIRIT - an eagerness to sacrifice personal interests or glory for the welfare of all; the team comes first
bound to the next level by,
RESOURCEFULNESS - proper judgment
INTEGRITY speaks for itself
POISE - just being yourself; being at ease in any situation; never fighting yourself
CONFIDENCE - respect without fear; confident not cocky; may come from faith in yourself in knowing that you are prepared
bound to the top block by,
FIGHT - effort and hustle
RELIABILITY - others depend upon you
COMPETITIVE GREATNESS - 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going'; be at your best when your best is needed; REAL LOVE OF A HARD BATTLE!
then he defines SUCCESS as 'peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming'
some quotes at different chapter headings -
-who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span? giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory (george moriarty, the road ahead of the road behind)
a careful man i want to be,
a little fellow follows me;
i do not dare to go astray,
for fear he'll go the self-same way
learn as if you were to live forever;
live as if you were to die tomorrow
-do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do
-be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming
remember this your lifetime through -
tomorrow, there will e more to do...
and failure waits for all who stay
with some success made yesterday...
tomorrow, you must try once more
and even harder than before
part of his expectations of players -
be a gentleman at all times
never criticize, nag or razz a teammate
be a team player always
never be selfish, jealous, envious, or egotistical
earn the right to be proud and confident
never expect favors, alibi or make excuses
never lose faith or patience
courtesy and politeness are a small price to pay for the good will and affection of others
-its amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit
-success is never final. failure is never fatal. it's courage that counts -winston churchill
-a man may make mistakes, but he isn't a failure until he starts blaming somone else
-its what you learn when you know it all that counts
-enjoy the present hour, be mindful of the past; and neither fear nor wish the approaches of the last
dare to be a daniel!
dare to stand alone!
dare to have a purpose firm!
dare to make it known. (p.p.bliss)
-a gentleman is one who considers the right of others before his own feelings,
and the feelings of others before his own rights.
-ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there
-i will get ready and then, perhaps, my chance will come
-the main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
-young people need models not critics
at wooden's high school graduation his father gave him a creed, written on a piece of paper, 'that he suggested i try to live by',
1 be true to yourself
2 make each day your masterpiece
3 help others
4 drink deeply from good books, especially the bible
5 make friendship a fine art
6 build a shelter against a rainy day
7 pray for guidance, count and give thanks for your blessing every day
this exemplifies my father's spirit -
four things a man must learn to do
if he would make his life more true:
to think without confusion more clearly,
to love his fellowman sincerely,
to act from honest motives purely,
to trust in God and heaven securely
from grantland rice's how to be a champion
you wonder how they do it and you look to see the knack,
you watch the foot in action or the shoulder, or the back,
but when you spot the answer where the higher glamours lurk,
you'll find in moving higher up the laurel covered spire,
that the most of it is practice and the rest of it is work.
webster partially defines faith as an unquestioning belief in God with complete trust, confidence and reliance. FAITH IS NOT JUST WAITING, HOPING AND WANTING THINGS TO HAPPEN. RATHER IT IS WORKING HARD TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN and realizing that there are no failures - just disappointment - when you have done your best.
God's hall of fame (unknown)
to have your name inscribed up there is greater yet by far,
than all the halls of fame down here and every man-made star.
this crowd on earth, they soon forget the heroes of the past,
they cheer like mad until you fall and that's how long you last.
i tell you, friend, i would not trade my name however small,
if written there beyond the stars in that celestial hall
for any famous name on earth or glory that they share,
i'd rather be an unknown here and have my name up there.
i am not what i ought to be,
not what i want to be,
not what i am going to be,
but thankful that i am not what i used to be
-a leader is interested in finding the best way - not in having his own way.
-three things are vital to success in basketball (life): condition, fundamentals, working together as a team
-to players about playing during the summer..police the play, not allow it to get too rough, try to avoid careless fouls and ball handling because they may carry those bad habits into game situations and it can hurt them (me: and others...sport is to needlessly brutal and uncaring of the opponent's physical welfare)
-pressure defense, even a full-court press, and applying offensive pressure until the opponent's stability is broken (me: same in spiritual warfare in breaking satan's basis for action)
-too much contact (5 on 5, full court) in practice not best...seems to take away competitive edge (me: the bow string must be relaxed until ready for use)
-more than 7-8 players considered as starting players can breed discontent (me: whole team should be fully mixed in playing situations so the skill levels of lesser ones be raised)
-get game under TEAM CONTROL leads to individual and team success
-play your own game and try not to permit the opponent to force us into their game
-sound fundamentals and strict discipline reinforce you in the toughest circumstances
-avoid peaks and valleys...wooden's advice to team about to win a national championship, 'i don't want any out-of-control celebration. i want you to feel good, cut down the nets - but i don't want any jumping around, no dancing on the floor or acting like fools. no excessive jubilation, no spectacle'. what i was saying..was , don't climb a mountain. and when we lose, as we did earlier that year..my words of caution, 'don't hang your heads, don't bellyache, walk out with your head high', are to remind them not to descend into the lowest valley, but to climb a steadily rising plane as they strive to reach their ultimate potential. just give me a group of gentlemen, who play the game hard but clean, and always on an upward path. then the championships will take care of themselves if the overall ability of the team warrants them.
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