John Wooden

Last weekend, the Wizard of Westwood, the beloved and wise Coach John R. Wooden passed away at the age of 99.

Simply put, Coach Wooden was one of the most inspirational and influential individuals to ever bless the UCLA community, an individual who was perhaps more closely identified with UCLA than any other person in the university’s history. Coach Wooden was an unparalleled motivator and an inspiration to many. His lasting influence has extended far beyond the campus to include leaders in academia, business and government.

My swim coach at UCLA was always a huge advocate of Coach Wooden's generous spirit and unfailing wisdom. She constantly quoted Coach Wooden and believed that like him, her job was to not only coach, guide and mentor us in the pool, but also in life.

I recall at NCAAs my sophomore year, my coach "assigned" a characteristic from Coach Wooden's famous Pyramid of Success that reminded her of each swimmer present. I was Condition -- "Ability gets you to the top, but character keeps you there- mental, moral, and physical."

During my career at UCLA, I was fortunate enough to meet Coach Wooden. He came to speak to the entire athletic community. Coach shared his thoughts, answered our questions and recited poetry, word for word. Coach Wooden was 97.

The thing that struck me most about Coach Wooden and his teachings was that he was really just an ordinary gentleman who loved his wife and family, and merely stuck to his principals (I say merely as if it is a simple task to stay true to ones beliefs in all situations). He was very successful as a coach and did so without compromising on what he believed in, which is a rare occurrence in today's sporting world. *ahem ahem USC!*

Listening to him talk or reading his books, you came away wanting to better. To keep things simple, to stick to what is right and resist what is wrong, Coach Wooden's wisdom had a simple but clear voice that sang through the darkest night.

When I graduated in 2009, my coach gifted me with a personally autographed copy of Coach Wooden's Wooden: A lifetime of observations and reflections. It was the coolest graduation gift I ever received.

It is from this very book that I drew the support and wisdom I needed to make the hard decision of retiring from swimming. Coach's words reminded me that success is not measured by the accumulation of material possession, or the attainment of a position of power or even fame. Rather these are merely indicators of success and not necessarily success in themselves.

"Success is the peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable."

So, as much as you can this week, wear blue and gold to honor the man who taught us the true meaning of success. Invite your friends, whether they are UCLA students or not, and celebrate the life of Coach John R. Wooden.