• Coach John Wooden The Legend, The Legacy, The Wisdom

Coach John Wooden
The Legend, The Legacy, The Wisdom
Without question, John Robert Wooden is the most influential
coach of the 20th century.
Having recently honored Coach Wooden with America’s most
prestigious civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
President Bush remarks, “He was the man who taught
generations of basketball players the fundamentals of hard work
and discipline, patience and teamwork. Coach Wooden remains
a part of their lives as a teacher of the game, and as an example
of what a good man should be.”
Wooden’s life began in the small town of Martinsville, Indiana.
While still a young boy, his mother Roxie gave him his first
basketball, “a wobbly thing sewed together using rolled-up rags
she had stuffed into some black cotton hose. Dad nailed an old
tomato basket with the bottom knocked out to one end of the
hayloft in the barn. That’s how I got started playing the game of basketball.”
Wooden grew up with an overwhelming admiration for his father, Joshua Hugh Wooden. After
finishing grade school Wooden’s father handed him a small card containing a brief seven-point
creed. Over 8 decades later this humble teacher is still striving to become the man defined by his
father’s gift, helping others prepare to be their very best.
John soon fell in love with his high school sweetheart, Nellie. They eventually married and
Wooden took a position teaching English at the age of 24. He soon grew frustrated with the
grading system used to determine the academic success of his students. He wanted to evaluate
their performance based more on effort. That passion led him to coin his prolific definition of
success: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you
made your best effort to do your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”
Fourteen years later this definition culminated in a visual diagram depicting the behaviors
Wooden felt were essential to achieve this success. He called the now famous image “The
Pyramid of Success.”
Coach Wooden holds an all time winning percentage of .813, holds the record for longest
winning streak at 88 straight games and 38 straight tournament victories. He won 10 national
championships in 12 years 7 of them consecutive. Chosen by ESPN as “Basketball Coach of the
Century”, he is one of only three men selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player
and a coach. He is the recipient of nearly every civilian honor received during this time.
At 96, Coach John Wooden exemplifies a life of professional excellence, personal integrity, and
above all, love and balance. Today he will kneel to pray in his modest condominium,
surrounded by nearly every kind of trophy imaginable. Today he will tenderly pen another love
letter to his bride of 53 years, even though she passed away more than two decades ago. Deep in
his heart, the letters mean infinitely more than his trophies, and that makes John Wooden a true
success.
“I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs.” – John Wooden.
John Wooden Speaks
KidWorks Foundation for Success – An opportunity to support youth and families
November 15, 2007
Doubletree Hotel, Santa Ana
11:30a.m. – 1:00p.m.
Levels of Sponsorship:
Presenting $25,000
• On-stage recognition at the event
• Identification on all associated press releases
• Company logo on the event invitation (must be received by August 15, 2007)
• Logo on program book
• Newsletter listing
• Signed John Wooden book
• Full page ad in the event program
• Preferred seating for 10 at event
• Company name on event signage
• Company name in KidWorks Annual Report
Platinum $10,000
• On-stage recognition at the event
• Newsletter listing
• Signed John Wooden book
• ½ page ad in event program
• Preferred seating for 10 at event
• Company name on event signage
• Company name in KidWorks Annual Report
Gold $6,000
• Signed John Wooden book
• Verbal recognition at the event
• ¼ page ad in event program
• 10 seats at event
• Company name on event signage
• Company name in KidWorks Annual Report
Silver $3,500
• Verbal recognition at event
• 1/8 page ad in event program
• 5 seats at event
• Company name on event signage
• Company name in KidWorks Annual Report
Bronze $1,500
• Company name in event program
• 5 seats at event
• Company name in KidWorks Annual Report
Sponsorship Commitment Form
Yes, we would like to sponsor the KidWorks Foundation for Success Event.
Presenting $25,000
Platinum $10,000
Gold $6,000
Silver $3,500
Bronze $1,500
Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor at this time, but we would like to help you achieve
your mission of restoring at-risk neighborhoods one life at a time. Enclosed is our gift of
$_________
Company Name: _______________________________________________________________
Contact: ______________________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________ City: _____________ State:____ Zip:______
Telephone:_______________________ Email:________________________________________
Payment Method:
Check: made payable to KidWorks
Credit Card: Number __________________________________________Exp. Date _______
Type ____________ Signature_______________________________________
Please return this form and payment to:
KidWorks
Attn: Sara Culver
1902 W. Chestnut Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92703
(714) 834-9400 ext. 105
All sponsorship contracts, logos and checks must be received by October 15, 2007 to receive full
benefits. KidWorks will contact you with specific logo and ad information upon receipt of this
form.
 KidWorks
KidWorks focuses on the youth and families in our
community through the following programs:
• Preschool Program – an award-winning program
that serves 48 children age four every day in a
licensed facility.
• Homework Club – currently serving 165 K-5th
Mission grade students three days a week in our holistic
after-school program that provides tutoring,
Our mission is to academic support, computer training, literacy
restore at-risk development, financial literacy, arts, and nutrition
neighborhoods one life
at a time. • YouthWorks – currently serving 60 6th-12th grade
students 5 days a week through academics, art
Vision and personal development activities such as
tutoring, mentoring, computer skills, leadership
Our vision is to development, and art.
transform challenged
neighborhoods within • AdultWorks – teaching parents to navigate the
central Santa Ana by educational system to support their children and
building on the also providing English as a Second Language (ESL)
strengths and potential classes, financial seminars and more.
in the community
through education, • CareWorks – an on-site clinic provides basic
character formation and health services and health education classes to
personal development. local residents.
To learn more about KidWorks please contact us at (714) 834-9400
or visit our website www.kidworksonline.org