You Don't Have To "Like" The Coach

What John Wooden's former players remember most about their experience playing for him are the life lessons he taught them. Many of these players have stated that they had no idea what they had learned until several years after leaving UCLA. In the long run, the values that Coach Wooden imparted were more impactful than what they had learned about basketball. One of the most enlightening tales being recounted this week, comes from a former benchwarmer.

In an article from today's NY Times, "Championship Legacy Distinguishes Wooden But Doesn't Define Him", former Bruin Andy Hill, talks to Billy Witz about his experience as a reserve on the 1970-1972 UCLA teams. "For nearly 25 years after he graduated from UCLA Hill did not think much of these lessons - or of Wooden. He had become the President of CBS Productions, but he looked back on his playing days mostly with resentment. Hill starred on the freshman team at UCLA, sharing the team's Most Valuable Player award with Henry Bibby. But in three years on the varsity he rarely played. Then one day on the golf course, Hill's playing partner told him he was rushing his swing. It reminded him of one of Wooden's pet phrases - be quick, but don't hurry - and as he began to consider all of the other principles he had carried from Wooden, he picked up the phone to call him and say thanks." Hill later wrote a book titled "Be Quick - But Don't Hurry!" about the lessons he learned playing under Coach Wooden.

In today's sports world, coaches are too often viewed as client service providers. A parent once told me that she and her son did not like the coach of his team. His team although young and undersized had improved tremendously, beating teams in the league tournament that had handled them easily during the regular season. The coach had conducted very demanding practices, but he was not abusive. I could see how people might think he was a bit rough around the edges. He was young, bright, and full of enthusiasm, but at least at this stage of his career, he is definately not a charmer. But his team had overachieved and played very hard.....together!

Instead of focussing on what a coach can offer your adolescent child in "his" quest for a spot on the varsity, consider reinforcing the concepts of effort and teamwork. The players on our Final Four and National Championship teams at Texas did not fully understand at the time the kind of impact all of the hard work (and hard times!) they experienced would have on their lives. I certainly didn't. While working toward those accomplisments there were very few instances when we all held hands and sang kumbaya! But we all sensed that we were persevering to achieve something special. As the years pass by, it becomes more clear that the specialness extends well beyond the trophy!