Be Quick, but not in a Hurry

I learned to tie my shoes from John Wooden. It is the very first thing he covers with every player. Already retired from UCLA, hundreds of teenage boys sat on a gym floor watching the Master explain with the seriousness of a surgeon. Socks must fit snug and straight - wrinkles will rub blisters.  Open the laces all the way, not just the top row. Working from the bottom up: Snug but not tight, Snug but not tight, Snug but not tight. Over two summers, I spent a week each at Wooden's basketball camp learning more then just about the game.  We saw black and white footage of his UCLA teams running the same drills he ran with us each morning- no ball.  While we caught our breath, he spoke about balance and what it means to "Be Quick, but not in a Hurry".  Quick: being prepared, in the moment, confident, decisive in action. Hurry: rushed, distracted, stress, going too fast. Hurry, sooner or later, creates mistakes.  Winning is not as important as approaching the game (life) with commitment, respect and trying your best. The results of this effort will take care of themselves. 

I was on location this past week when I learned of his passing. Soon my sadness turned to an inventory of teaching passed forward. His "Pyramid of Success" was the centerpiece of class translated through a striped floor and 10 foot high hoops.  "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable".  My memory heard our daughters 3 year old voices repeating mine, "Snug but not tight". CoachWooden.com