A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring

5 Responses to “A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring”

1. Jim Kap says:

   July 7, 2010 at 6:39 pm

   Wooden was reasonably successful way back when. He had the most support from his university, had the best facilities and equipment and recruits. So sure he won a lot with the competition handcuffed. But he has lived on that glory day period for his entire life.

   Some of the mentors he had are highly flawed. His first coach had major issues and humiliated Wooden and his friends for being silly boys and not singing the national anthem. As a replacement for of punishing them in private, he got his jollies by doing it in front of the school. Even when one boy said he changed his mind and would sing, the coach said it was “too late”. And Wooden does not even see that the man had obvious issues. Many fantastic men have been raised by strict power facts who would never dream of administering such a punishment in public.

   Wooden lives with his head in the sand, a blind unquestioning approach to power. Its that approach that led to thousands of parents being clueless to the priests who molested their kids. That approach has led to countless kids being abused throughout history.

   Wooden has no clue about creativity. The fantastic inventions, including life savers, came from renegades who ventured outside the lines. From antibiotics to medical breakthroughs to google and on and on. The rebels are the ones who push the envelope and keep mankind from apt extinct.

   Wooden seems like a nice man but he never colored outside the lines. He doesn’t really get it at all that his way only maintains the status quo while creativity and renegades make life worth living.
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
2. Mr. Spencer says:

   July 7, 2010 at 8:55 pm

   Mr. Kap, has no thought of the conditions that Coach Wooden had to coach in as far as facilities
   
   go. He personally mopped the chalk off the floor before each practice that was left there by the
   
   gymnastic team. Talk about a coach who is concerned about his players and the conditions that he
   
   went through to become national champions. Where were you Mr. know it all when this was happening?
   
   You should really get your info straight before you make any comment.
   
   This world was blessed when God brought this human being into our lives to share the real teaching
   
   of how a person should live their lives. Mr. Kap, you should break down and buy a few copies of his books and maybe
   
   you can learn something from Coach Wooden and pass it on to our children and grandchildren.
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
3. Sebastian Trujillo says:

   July 7, 2010 at 10:14 pm

   This book had many fantastic inspirational tales. Both from John Wooden and seven of persons that have been mentored by him. You could say it has alot of the cliche pyrimad of success quotes but in this book they also tell you about the commencing and inspiration of many of woodens fantastic quotes.
   Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
4. Timothy M. Griffin says:

   July 8, 2010 at 12:27 am

   A really fantastic book on mentoring and being mentored !! John Wooden….one of the greatest basketball coaches EVER and, an even better human being .A must read !!
   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
5. Anonymous Reader says:

   July 8, 2010 at 3:22 am

   John Wooden exemplifies the best in the American character, as does this splendid book. There are many valuable and inspiring life lessons in A Game Plot for Life, co-authored by Coach Wooden and Don Yaeger.

   While I have certainly heard of John Wooden and his remarkable success in education college basketball, I am a newcomer to his writing. And, having read A Game Plot for Life, I proudly count myself as one of Coach’s mentees. Should you be lucky enough to read it, you will learn about seven people whom Coach Wooden– at 99 years young– considers his key mentors, and the lessons he learned from each of them. Coach’s vital mentors include his father, Joshua Wooden; his beloved wife, Nellie; his early teachers and coaches; and the historic facts whom he considers teachers, including Abraham Lincoln and Mother Teresa.

   Equally appealing are the chapters penned by seven people who consider Coach Wooden their mentor, among them basketball greats Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Walton; leading basketball coaches Roy Williams of North Carolina and Dale Young of Louisiana State; CBS executive Andy Hill; Coach’s youngest fantastic-granddaughter, Cori Nicholson; and teacher and junior basketball coach Bob Vigars. Especially appealing are the unconventional tales penned by Hill and Vigars. As a young basketball player at UCLA, Hill had a hard relationship with Coach Wooden, and only realized the value of what he had learned years later. Vigars has met Wooden only through Wooden’s writing, and was included in this book on the basis of a letter he wrote to Wooden in 2008.

   The theme at the heart of A Game Plot for Life is a maxim from Joshua Wooden, John Wooden’s father: “There is nothing you know that you haven’t learned from a name else.” Each of us has multiple opportunities to learn from others, and to teach others. Be alert for learning opportunities throughout your life, and don’t be worried to question for help from persons from whom you can learn. As well, be a teacher to persons who follow you, by deeds as well as by words. Coach Wooden makes clear that each of us serves in dual roles throughout our lives, both as student and teacher. And key lessons span generations– lessons taught to Coach Wooden by his father are now being learned by the fifth generation of Woodens.

   A more devious lesson, also well-taught by Coach Wooden in this book, is that it may be necessary to step out of your comfort zone to question for help, to admit the lessons that you need to know, or to become a mentor to others. Some of us, like myself, are comfortable with mentoring others, but find it hard to question for support– this book is useful in that it demonstrates how many accomplished people seek out the famed John Wooden for help. Others, like Wooden mentee Andy Hill, had a hard early relationship with their mentor but realized the value of what they learned later on. Others find it hard to teach what they have learned, or do not realize that their example is valuable to others– but wield a positive influence.

   As well, a Game Plot for Life draws instruction from Coach Wooden’s justly famed Pyramid of Success. The Pyramid is a compilation of John Wooden’s key building blocks of competitive greatness. A Game Plot for Life served as my introduction to the Pyramid– I establish these principles levelheaded and worthwhile, and look forwards to studying their subtleties more fully. Others will find this discussion a useful refresher. The principles incorporated in the Pyramid are virtues that have been central to the American character– it is high time to revisit them and cement and expand personal and collective use of them once again.

   I applaud Coach Wooden and his co-leader, Don Yaeger, for producing this superb and readable book. I count myself fortunate to be a new mentee of Coach Wooden, and hope that he and his family tree will see this review. Thank you, Coach, for your help and your sterling example.

   I hope that this book will be bought and circulated by readers from all walks of life, by schools and by libraries. With any luck, many will read this book and have the pleasure of being mentored by the remarkable John Wooden.

   Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5