Coach Wooden ~ Book Review

My Review:
Our Family LOVES Basketball or rather I should say...." We Love to WATCH Basketball." So, When I learned of the opportunity to read & review a book about the life of One of the Greatest Basketball Coaches EVER, John Wooden, I was beyond excited!

As I read the story of John Wooden and learned more about this amazing Man and unbelievable Coach, I realized what a humble and gentle person he truly was. He lived his life every single day the same way whether he was on the court teaching those men the game or at home beside his beloved wife and children. There are many books and tributes to Coach Wooden but this particular book shares more on Coach Wooden's foundation. A foundation built on a farm with a loving and gentle father-Joshua Hugh Wooden- who taught John and his brothers some very important values and principles on life.

Coach Wooden says of his father "Joshua Hugh Wooden was a farmer ~ honest, hard-working, and fair. I never heard him speak an unkind word about another person, even though on those occasions when he had every reason to. Dad came as close to living the golden rule as anyone I've ever known. He was strong enough to bend a thick iron bar with his bare hands, but he was also a very gentle man who read poetry to his four sons at night. He loved his family deeply." (pg.31)

John Wooden was given a piece of paper from his Father that shared 7 basic principles in which he could live by:
1. Be True to yourself.
2. Help Others.
3. Make Each Day your Masterpiece.
4. Drink Deeply from Good Books, especially the Bible
5. Make Friendship a Fine Art
6. Build a Shelter against a Rainy Day, by the Life you Live
7. Pray for Guidance and Counsel, and Give Thanks for Your Blessings Each Day

Coach Wooden lived by these principles and he began to share these very lessons with those He coached, mentored, or taught during his life on and off the court.

This is a book I will treasure and read often (kleenex's in hand). Coach Wooden died in 2010, at the age of 99. In his final days as just one of his many friends came in to see him, he asked to shave explaining that he would soon be able to see his Beloved Nell who had passed before him. Coach Wooden's 7 principles are simple, yet very Powerful Words of Wisdom. They continue to help and encourage any who choose to live by them even today.

The author, Pat Williams has penned a Beautiful Tribute to His Friend and Mentor, Coach John Wooden. The more I read, the more I felt as if I had known this wonderful Man and Coach. Pat shares so perfectly how the life lessons learned as a child carried over and produced much fruit in the lives of all who were blessed to know and learn from this precious Man ~ Coach John Wooden.

Whether you are a sports fan or not this is a book anyone can learn from. Just a thought ~ It would make a great gift for those who are graduating this Spring!

Thank you Revell, a Division of Baker Publishing and Donna Hausler for allowing me this complimentary book!



About the Book:
“There have been many books written about the life and philosophy of Coach John Wooden, but this is a book about the foundation of Coach’s life – a simple seven-point creed. For well over a decade, I have been intensely studying his life. My goal in this book is to show you how to apply these seven principles and build them into your daily life. If you memorize this seven-point creed and apply the principles for a lifetime, as John Wooden has done, you can’t help but succeed in life.” ~Author Pat Williams.

Pat Williams is senior vice president of NBA’s Orlando Magic. He has more than forty years of professional sports experience, has written dozens of books, and is one of America’s most sought-after motivational speakers. He lives in Winter Park, Florida.
*On February 16th Pat Williams announced that he has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (a cancer of the bone marrow). Pat has been relying on Coach’s principles for years, and now will implement them in his fight against cancer.
Jim Denney is a full-time freelance writer with more than 80 published books to his credit. His collaborative titles include In the Trenches: the Autobiography with Super bowl champion Reggie White; Undefeated with father-son Super Bowl/Rose Bowl Champs Bob and Brian Griese; A Model for a Better Future with Alexis; and numerous books with Pat Williams, including Go For the Magic.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

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ISBN: 978-0-8007-1997-5, February 2011, $17.99



Happy Reading!