29 years head coaching experience. 12 Final Fours. 10 NCAA Division I Basketball Championships, including 7 in a row. Member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Even though he passed away almost 6 years ago at the age of 99, John Wooden’s mark on basketball, coaching, mentorship and life has left an indelible impression on us all. Considered by most as the best coach of all time, regardless of the sport, Wooden became an authority on a variety of subjects, beyond the hardwood.
My mentor and sports psychologist, Dr. Rob Gilbert, actually had the honor of interviewing this coaching legend as a young professor and proposed this question to the coach, “What is the best piece of advice you can give to a youth sports coach?” The answer he gave still sticks with me to this day. “Praise the Individual. Scold the Group.” Why is this important? What are the repercussions and results, both positive and negative, to following this philosophy? Does this information apply to just coaches? To get the answer to these questions and more, check out the video above to learn how one of the preeminent coaches of a generation, can make the youth coaching and youth playing experience, one that will be remembered for a lifetime.