John Wooden died last Friday at the age of ninety-nine. He was one of the greatest twentieth-century Americans in sports. He was

John Wooden died last Friday at the age of ninety-nine. He was one of the greatest twentieth-century Americans in sports. He was an (36) excellent college basketball player. He led Purdue University to a national (37) championship in 1932. After college he was a high school (38) coach. He also taught English for nine years. But where he really made his (39) mark was at the University of California,Los Angeles. He was head coach of men’s basketball for twenty-seven years. His teams won a (40) record of ten national championships. These included seven in a row during the late nineteen sixties and early seventies. The Bruins have won just one other championship since then.
    John Wooden was (41) praised for how he taught the basics of the game, like passing, (42) defense and moving without the ball. But he also offered life lessons as a speaker and author. His books included the (43) self-improvement guide " Pyramid of Success".
    (44) At a speaking event when he was already in his nineties,he explained that his father had taught him a few things about success. He says: "I was raised on a small farm in southern Indiana and Dad tried to teach me and my brothers that you should never try to be better than someone else. (45) Always learn from others and never cease trying to be the best you could be. That’s under your control. " Those words later helped him with his own definition of success.
    (46) At his university,the man known simply as "Coach" had a record of 620 wins and 147 losses. The current coach calls John Wooden "the greatest coach in the history of basketball. "