Famous Quotes & Sayings

John Wooden

It's not what you teach, it's what you emphasize.

John Wooden

I believe it’s impossible to claim you have taught, when there are students who have not learned. With that commitment, from my first year as an English teacher until my last as UCLA basketball teacher/coach, I was determined to make the effort to become the best teacher I could possibly be, not for my sake, but for all those who were placed under my supervision.

John Wooden

Good players can take coaching; great players can take coaching and learn.

John Wooden

I never let our players get satisfied, I never let our Coaches get satisfied, I was never satisfied. We can always do it better.

John Wooden

I continually stress to my players that all I expect from them at practice and in the games is their maximum effort.

John Wooden

I do not judge success based on championships; rather, I judge it on how close we came to realizing our potential

John Wooden

Be quick without hurrying.

John Wooden

I do not want players who do not have a keen desire to win and do not play hard and aggressively to accomplish that objective.

John Wooden

Although I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to convince them they had always won when they had done their best.

John Wooden

A Coach must never forget that he is a leader and not merely a person with authority.

John Wooden

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.

John Wooden

Promise to be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit trouble to press on you.

John Wooden

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

John Wooden

When people ask me now if I miss coaching UCLA basketball games, the national championships, the attention, the trophies, and everything that goes with them, I tell them this: I miss the practices.

John Wooden

I would spend almost as much time planning a practice as conducting it. Everything was planned out each day

John Wooden

The true athlete should have character, not be a character

John Wooden

The goal in life is the same as in basketball: make the effort to do the best you are capable of doing--in marriage, at your job, in the community, for your country. Make the effort to contribute in whatever way you can. You may do it materially or with time, ideas, or work. Making the effort to contribute is what counts. The effort is what counts in everything.

John Wooden

Promise yourself that you will talk health, happiness, and prosperity as often as possible.

John Wooden

Reverse the ball one time for a good shot, two times for a great shot, three times for a layup.

John Wooden

Promise yourself to make all your friends know there is something in them that is special and that you value.

John Wooden

Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.

John Wooden

It's not how big you are, it's how big you play

John Wooden

Discipline yourself, and others won't need to.

John Wooden

Promise to wear a cheerful appearance at all times and give every person you meet a smile.

John Wooden

You'd like to see your team reasonably happy, but that's not your job. Gain their respect and get them to accept their roles

John Wooden

Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.

John Wooden

The better conditioned team will probably win in the long run.

John Wooden

The more concerned we become over the things we can't control, the less we will do with the things we can control

John Wooden

The team is the star, never an individual player.

John Wooden

Young people need models, not critics.

Merlin Olsen

It took me a while to realize that basketball wasn't football.

Merlin Olsen

Nobody cared about swimming. You could draw a crowd for basketball.

Merlin Olsen

The basketball coach cut me within two days, so I was back in the pool. I was the first one in the wall after the first 25 yards, but the last one out because I didn't have a flip turn.