Goodbye Coach: NBSA Salutes The Passing & Life of John Wooden

/ by / coachronn / on / June 05, 2010 @ 2:33 pm

Yesterday, Friday, June 4, 2010, the world lost a great man.  The basketball world lost a giant of a playing and coaching legend.  Those closest to John Wooden lost a man who treasured family over all else, a long list of players who considered him a father figure and confidante, and, so many they could not be counted, lost a humble, God-loving friend and mentor.

Most of us who are founders of NBSA grew up within the span of Coach's life at UCLA.  We remember the 10 National Championships at UCLA that John Wooden is so well lauded for.  Many of us didn't know the player, person, loving husband to Nell and coach pre-1964 when John Wooden-coached teams began their unprecedented run of championships.  (He actually coached at UCLA for 15 years prior to that first championship.)

Way back in the 1930's, this Indiana farm boy played at Purdue and was a 2-time All American basktball player and named Player of the Year.  During his playing time at Purdue, John Wooden made 134 consecutive free throws, which still stands as a collegiate record.  Later, playing professional basketball, he increased his record run to 138 consecutive free throws made.

Since NBSA is all about free throws, we salute the man who set these phenomenal playing records that remain as part of his legend, enduring now beyond his passing. 

Coach Wooden's life has been a gift to us all who lived, played and coached during his lifetime - who used his great wisdom and philosophy in attempting to emulate the coaching persona he became legendary for. For generations to come, that hard work, focus, discipline, and always doing your best can produce new champions, new leaders among young men and women as much as it did during Coach Wooden's lifetime.

While the man, the legend, the"Wizard of Westwood", the author of the famed "Pyramid of Success", ESPN's "The Greatest Coach of the 20th Century", and mentor to many will be deeply mourned, his legacy will live into perpetuity. 

John Wooden, twenty-five years after her death, is at last reunited with his beloved Nell.