They Call Me Coach

The legendary coach talks about his life, his players, and his winning philosophies in this bestselling autobiography

John Wooden's dedication and inspiration made him America's "winningest" coach. His beliefs in hard work and preparedness brought the UCLA Bruins an unparalleled 10 NCAA basketball championships. Now in this bestselling autobiography--with a Foreword by Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton--the college basketball legend reflects on his record-breaking career, his life behind the scenes, and how his top players went on to shape and change the NBA.

From the everyday basics to important life lessons ("It's not how tall you are, but how tall you play"), Wooden shares his worldly wisdom on and off the court to offer a personal history of an unforgettable time in college basketball, answering the most-asked questions about his life, his career, and the players who made his teams unbeatable.

"They Call Me Coach is grass-roots Americana, a story bigger than basketball. One of those rare sports books that is must reading for everyone."
--Chicago Tribune

"What Knute Rockne was to football, Connie Mack to baseball, and Wilbur and Orville Wright to flying, John Wooden is to basketball. This book captures the full flavor of the man, the philosophies that work in life, and the philosophies that work on the court. I commend it to people who want to succeed at either--or both."
--Los Angeles Times

Customer Reviews:

More than basketball: a formula for winning in life.

By A Customer - June 14, 1999

John Wooden thoroughly puts forth the principles that he practices in his life as a coach, former coach, and citizen. His trips through nostalgia are insightful and incisive. More than a book on how to play better basketball, it is more in line with how to be a better person. A must read for individuals who are working with children and adults and feel that high standards and accountability are important for them and their charges.

They Call me the Greatest....is what it should be called.

By "theknightwhosays_neeek" - May 17, 2001

They Call Me Coach by John Wooden is not only one of the greatest sport books I have read but also one of my all time favorites too. In his book he tells you of his early struggle through the Depression and from the constant moving of his family. In the book he tells you of his father's enormous impact on his life, from his inspiration talks with him or just the poems he quoted. One of Wooden's own thoughts has stuck in my head also. It reads,"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."(pg 56) This great book deserves five stars because of how John Wooden can take a topic of teaching basketball, and stretch it to other sports and even educational goals. If you do not even play basketball you will like this book because whatever the sport you play, this book has something that you can apply to it. His Pyramid of Success is great and I feel it should be in every locker room of every sport. The diagram states how success can be acheived through making... read more

A classic book about a classic coach.

By A Customer - July 14, 1997

When you have lost all of your faith in sports, buy and read this book. Coach Wooden takes us through the wonderful journey of his life, from a young boy growing up in a small Indiana town to the multiple national championships at UCLA. Its too bad there aren't more coaches like John Wooden, a truly inspiring individual