778 Quotes by John Wooden

Effective leaders are, first and foremost, good teachers. We’re in the education business.

The person who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success. I expected my players to make mistakes, as long as they were mistakes of commission. A mistake of commission happens when you are doing what should be done but don’t get the results you want.

The greatest ally you have to get things working well and the players performing as a team is the bench. Don’t be afraid to use it, either for the star player or anyone else.

The time to prepare isn’t after you have been given the opportunity. It’s long before that opportunity arises. Once the opportunity arrives, it’s too late to prepare.

It’s important to keep trying to do what you think is right no matter how hard it is or how often you fail. Never stop trying.

The best players don’t win championships. The best team players win championships.

Don’t permit fear of failure to prevent effort.

Good coaching is about leadership and instilling respect in your players. Dictators lead through fear – good coaches do not.

Losing does not make you a failure; it is when you blame someone for losing when you become a failure.