Coach Wooden: The 7 Principles That Shaped His Life and Will Change Yours

When Coach John Wooden graduated from eighth grade his father gave him a handwritten card and said, "Son, try to live up to this." On the card, his father had written seven simple yet profound life principles:


Be true to yourself
Help others
Make friendship a fine art
Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible
Make each day your masterpiece
Build a shelter against a rainy day by the life you live
Give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day


These principles were the key to Coach Wooden's greatness--and his goodness. Through powerful stories and pithy advice, this book shares the wisdom that made Wooden happy and successful. This inspirational and conversational book will encourage, challenge, and motivate readers to build these principles into their own lives.

From the Back Cover

Discover Coach Wooden the man as you've never seen him before

"I only spent three years at UCLA while Coach Wooden was still coaching, but I received a lifetime of positive influence from being around him. I leaned on what I learned from him many times throughout my career. I'm positive that you will find this wonderful book as valuable and powerful as I have. Thank you, Pat Williams!"--Dick Vermeil, former Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs head coach

"This book is about the early years of the greatest basketball coach who ever lived. John Wooden not only taught his players about basketball, he taught them how to live and appreciate life. He was a hero not just to basketball fans but to everybody. I respect John Wooden as a great coach but more importantly as a great man."--Tommy Lasorda, former Los Angeles Dodgers Hall-of-Fame manager

"Coach Wooden's coaching philosophy has played a major role in my basketball career. Now you can learn about the foundation of his life in this important book by Pat Williams. Drop everything you're doing and start reading."--Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University head basketball coach

"Pat Williams has spent a lifetime studying the success principles of his friend John Wooden. This new book is loaded with Wooden wisdom that will deeply impact all of us."--Bill Parcells, Miami Dolphins executive vice president of football operations

"John Wooden represented all the good qualities coaches are always teaching their young athletes. Coach Wooden was a master of getting people to perform at their maximum. This text will define why he was the greatest leader ever to grace the sidelines."--Dick Vitale, ESPN college basketball analyst