Review: Coach Wooden, by Pat Williams

“Coach Wooden” by Pat Williams is an engaging look into a man whose life was shaped by 7 principles his father instilled in him. Although John Wooden lived his life around basketball, the book is enjoyable for even a non-sports fan. Many references are made of his coaching time at UCLA and the success with the Bruins but it does not feel like a “sports book”. It’s a book about a man who lived a life that inspired, and still inspires, others.

We learn that Coach was who he was because of his father and the way he was raised. He lived his life by a set of values which he did not waver from up until his dying day. The book is a lesson in how we all are called to make an impact, sometimes with unseen results. His father was not a man looked on by the world as someone with success. He worked hard and raised his family well. It was the seed, as summarized in 7 principles, that allowed his son, John Wooden, to make a huge impact on all he came in contact with.

There have been many books with Coach John Wooden as the central figure but this is the only one I have read. It’s short, with on 170 pages, but will leave a lasting impact on how I will continue on with the way I interact with my fellow man. I feel that I am now better prepared to make my life my masterpiece!

Available February 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*Thanks to my husband Chris for reading and reviewing this book.