99 + 7 = An Amazing Man

My congratulations and sincere wishes for a very Happy Birthday go out to one of my favorite basketball coaches of all time.

John Wooden turned 99 today.

That in itself is quite a feat, but longevity is not the only thing that sets this fine gentleman apart from the rest of us. And no, it's not his excellence as a player or success as a basketball coach that does it either.

Like my other favorite coach (Dean Smith), John Wooden garners my admiration and appreciation for the way he not only prepared his players for games during basketball season, he also prepared them for life, stressing the importance of being a good person who does good deeds.

When he graduated from grade school, his father handed him a list of 7 principles to help him on his journey through life. I've listed them here for you - take a look.

1) Be true to yourself.
2) Make each day your masterpiece.
3) Help others.
4) Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
5) Make friendship a fine art.
6) Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7) Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

There's a lot you need to learn to become a good basketball player, but there's much more to learn and do to become a good person.

Thank you, Coach Wooden, for showing so many people how to be both.