Page 182 - How to Create a Winning Organization

ON WOODEN
Eddie Powell: South Bend Central High School Varsity;
Assistant Coach, Indiana State Teachers College and UCLA

DON’T BE LATE
The team bus was scheduled to leave for our game against the
Mishawaka High School Cavemen, our archrivals, at exactly
6 p.m. All the players were in their seats and ready to go ex-
cept for two guys. They happened to be the co-captains of our
team, the South Bend Central Bears.
“Driver, what time did I say we would leave for the game?”
Coach Wooden asked as he stepped on board the bus. The
driver answered, “6 p.m., Coach. Same as usual.”
Coach Wooden asked, “Well, what time is it?” The bus
driver looked at his watch and said, “It’s exactly 6 p.m., Coach
Wooden.” Without hesitating, Coach replied, “Well, that’s
what time my watch says, too. I guess it must be 6 p.m.”
He turned and looked down the aisle of the bus—at those
two empty seats—and said to the driver, “Let’s go.” The bus
left without the two most important players on the team.
Coach’s rule was to be on time or the bus left without you.
Even though those two players were important, it didn’t mat-
ter. Our bus left for Mishawaka on time.
It also didn’t matter that one of the players was the son of
a vice principal at South Bend Central—the kind of person
who could create job problems for Coach Wooden.
From that, we learned Coach wasn’t kidding: Be on time.
That story was told for years to new players coming in. It sent
a message. Coach Wooden wasn’t kidding. He meant what he
said.
We found out later that the co-captains had skipped our
game with Mishawaka to go to a dance.