John Wooden

Leadership is the ability to get individuals to work together for the common good and the best possible results while at the same time letting them know they did it themselves.

As long as you try your best, you are never a failure. That is, unless you blame others.

The best competition I have is against myself to become better

My philosophy of defense is to keep the pressure on an opponent until you get to his emotions

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

The true athlete should have character, not be a character

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

Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at time. That's the only way it happens-and when it happens, it lasts.

As a leader, you must be filled with energy and eagerness, joy and love for what you do. If you lack enthusiasm for your job, you cannot perform to the best of your ability. Industriousness is unattainable without Enthusiasm.

Never did I want to call the first time-out during a game. Never. I wanted UCLA to come out and run our opponents so hard that they would be forced to call the first time-out just to catch their breath. At that first time-out the opponents would know, and we would know that they knew, who was in better condition. This has a psychological impact.

You must be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way.

It is normal to enjoy praise and dislike criticism. True character is when you prevent either from affecting you in a negative matter.

Adversity often produces an unexpected opportunity. Look for it ! Appreciate and utilize it! This is difficult to do if you're feeling sorry for yourself because you're faced with adversity.

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

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

Ability may get you to the top, nut it takes chracter to keep you there - mental, moral, and physical.

When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. When you improve conditioning a little each day, eventually you have a big improvement in conditioning. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don't look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That's the only way it happens - and when it happens, it lasts.

How hard you work at correcting your faults reveals your character.

Make a decision! Failure to act is often the biggest failure of all.

Helping others is perhaps the greatest joy! You cannot have a perfect day without helping others with no thought of getting something in return.

Our land is everything to us.... I will tell you one of the things we remember on our land. We remember that our grandfathers paid for it - with their lives.