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Just Thinking
By John Wooden, UCLA There are a great many ingredients that are necessary for any championship team and unselfish teamwork must be one of the most important. The first (1963-64) and last (1974-75) of my championship teams both possessed this invaluable trait to an exceptional degree. The 1963-64 team was comparatively small, had little depth at the start of the season, and appeared to have little outside shooting ability. However, they overcame these deficiencies by remarkable unselfish teamwork, fine passing, aggressive defense, unusual poise, tremendous courage, fine jumping, excellent condition, outstanding quickness, intense desire, surprising capacity for hard work, and amazing adaptation to a rather complicated pressing defense that was new to many. Their quickness was largely responsible for the fine execution of their passing game which enabled them to penetrate closer for higher percentage shots to overcome their lack of outside shooting. It also helped to neutralize the height advantage of all opponents because it enabled them to beat taller and less quick opponents to position and to the ball, made it difficult for slower opponents to block them away from the boards, and often caught their opponents by surprise. Furthermore, it helped to tire out taller player who were forced to move more quickly than usual and increased the possibility on quick capitalization of opponent’s errors. Except for being considerably taller, not quite as quick, and not having as effective pressin g defense, the 1974-75 champions possessed most of the strengths and weaknesses as the 1963-64 team. They were very much alike in their unselfish teamwork, unselfish condition, determination, and competitive heart --- all qualities found in championship teams. Of course, it was a combination of these and other factors working together exceptionally well that brought about such an extraordinary succession of victories against major opposition. However, I sincerely believe that their unselfish teamwork was the one factor that made the greatest contribution to their success. In almost half a century of close association with athletic teams as a player and as a coach, the 1963-64 and 1974-75 UCLA basketball teams may have been the most unselfish teams with which I have ever been associated or that I have ever seen in action. These players had team spirit and competitive heart to an unusual degree. I like to define team spirit as “an eagerness to sacrifice personal glory for the welfare of the team or to lose oneself in the group for the good of the group.” These teams exemplified that spirit more than any coach could reasonably or validly expect. Naturally, we always hope for it, but do not honestly expect it past a certain point. I have coached many teams that would have to be classified as unselfish, but none ever surpassed that shown by these teams. Every player on each squad, regardless of the amount of time that he got to play or the amount of publicity or public acclaim that he or a teammate received, seemed to work and wait for the opportunity to put his ability to use for the welfare of the team. There seemed to be little or no envy or jealousy, but rather a sincere and eager desire to have the entire team do well. As a result, each player almost always did well when called upon. I believe in stressing the idea to each player that he should not compare himself with others, but should make every effort to become the best that he is capable of becoming. However, it borders on the miraculous to have an entire squad accept and practice that philosophy to the degree that these teams seemed able to do. It is quite natural for spirited athletes, and I want and like spirited players, to want to be in the game and to feel that he is better than those plying ahead of hime. Nevertheless, each player on these teams seemed to accept his position on the squad without question and was eager to be ready if and when he might be called upon. Kenny Washington, Doug McIntosh, Ralph Drollinger, Marques Johnson, Jim Spillane, Wilber Olind and others displayed this most admirable quality whether or not they were in the starting line-up. Continue to Next Page
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