John Wooden was one of the greatest coaches of all time. Nicknamed “The Wizard of Westwood”, his UCLA teams won ten national championships in a twelve year span, including seven in a row. Wooden was named National Coach of the Year six times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, the first person to ever have this distinction. Each year, as the NCAA Basketball Tournament plays out, I think about Coach Wooden and the impact he had on so many lives. His values and character live on through the lives of those he influenced. The principles that shaped his life are timeless and apply to coaches and athletes regardless of sport or level of competition. As coaches and leaders, we would do well to incorporate these concepts into our own coaching style.

• Treat all people with dignity and respect.
• You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for another without thought of something in return.
• The time to make friends is before you need them.
• Much can be accomplished by teamwork when no one is concerned about who gets the credit.
• Happiness comes where selfishness ends.
• Make sure the team members know they’re working with you, not for you.
• You handle things. You work with people.
• Nothing can give you greater joy than doing something for another.
• Love is the greatest of all words in our language.

In what ways do you model Christ’s service to others on your team, your family and your community? Are you willing to give your time, talents, and treasures to others? Are you living a life worth modeling?

Heavenly Father, teach me to serve as Your Son Jesus served. Teach me Lord, that it’s not about me. Help me today to have a Christ-like attitude in all that I do. Amen.