Issue 713 - "2025: Cooperation: Strong Starts, Strong Finishes" (Part 1: Strong Starts)


Wooden's Wisdom - Volume 13	Issue 713
Craig Impelman Speaking \| Championship Coaches \| Champion's Leadership Library Login
"2025: COOPERATION: STRONG STARTS, STRONG FINISHES" (Part 1: STRONG STARTS) John Wooden Video Clip (1 min. 33 sec.): Coach Wooden is asked: "What are the three rules you set for your players?" In 1975, Coach John Wooden created one of the most cooperative, high-performance team environments in sports history. In 2025, his approach may be even more important, especially if you're leading a team in business, school, or any modern work setting where emotional distractions are high and structure is often missing. At UCLA, a “strong start” didn’t mean a pep talk or a drill. It started well before 3:00 p.m. practice. You arrived at the equipment cage and received your shoes that had been stored in a vented cabinet overnight to prevent them from drying out—and your gear for that day’s workout. From there, you went to the locker room, put on your shorts and practice top, your practice top had to be tucked in for practice. Then you carefully put on your socks wrinkle-free and tied your shoes exactly as Coach Wooden had taught you, one eyelet at a time carefully tightening each one but not too tight and finished with a double knot at the top. Players never had their shoes come untied during practice. Your body and mind were settling into routine. On the court, Coach Wooden was already there sitting at courtside by 2:30, available if you needed him. By 3:00, players were out on the floor—not just “on time,” but early. Not because they had to be—but because they wanted to be. From 3:00 to 3:30 was “individual attention.” Players went to a basket, got a ball, and worked on what they personally needed. Coaches might step in for instruction, but the player took the lead. This period encouraged ownership and self-directed growth—within a system. At exactly 3:30, the whistle blew. Organized practice began. Everyone was ready—physically, mentally, and emotionally. That’s what a strong start looks like: a consistent rhythm, clear expectations, self-ownership, and emotional calm. And it always led to better cooperation. In today’s workplace, this model matters more than ever. Remote workers log in from chaotic environments. Retail teams start shifts without rhythm. Many teams just jump into meetings with no transition from stress to focus. Here’s how to apply Coach Wooden’s system in 2025: Start early: Be available before the official “start” for quiet support. Establish routine: A simple pre-meeting ritual—greeting people by name, a minute of focus—lowers anxiety and boosts clarity. Offer autonomy: Give people individual time to prepare, learn, or contribute before group work begins. Strong starts aren’t hype. They’re structure. And structure fuels cooperation. As Coach always said: “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” How does your workday start? Click here for personal development exercise: Issue 713. Click here for Printable Poetry: Issue 713. Yours in Coaching, Craig Impelman www.woodenswisdom.com Follow @woodenswisdom	COACH'S FAVORITE POETRY AND PROSE My Creed To live as gently as I can; To be, no matter where, a man; To take what comes of good or ill And cling to faith and honor still; To do my best, and let that stand The record of my brain and hand; And then, should failure come to me, Still work and hope for victory. To have no secret place wherein I stoop unseen to shame or sin; To be the same when I'm alone As when my every deed is known; To live undaunted, unafraid Of any step that I have made; To be without pretense or sham Exactly what men think I am. To leave some simple mark behind To keep my having lived in mind; If enmity to aught I show, To be an honest, generous foe, To play my little part, nor whine That greater honors are not mine. This, I believe, is all I need For my philosophy and creed. Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)
For more information visit www.woodenswisdom.com