2013 ISC Ugandan Basketball Coach Exchange: UCLA and Wooden Academy

The 2013 International Sport Connection Ugandan Coach Exchange Delegation traveled to California to get to know one of the most legendary coaches in history.  John Wooden’s coaching legacy lives on at UCLA and the four Ugandan Coaches had the opportunity to visit the place where his championships came to life. The ISC Coaches also had a chance to share their experiences from coaching and playing basketball with the UCLA community.

Sam Obol, Albert Aciko, Janet Nakkazi, and Sylvia Twesigye visited with the UCLA women’s and men’s basketball teams, spoke to staff, students, and coaches at UCLA, and they received a tour of the Wooden Academy.

UCLA was the ideal place to learn about leadership and the history of greatness in basketball.  The coaches watched the men’s basketball team’s training and observed how the practices were organized and conducted.  They cheered on the men’s and women’s teams during home games and they even met Miss USA, who was a UCLA alumni.

The tour of the sunny California campus included visiting coaching offices and talking with staff about the influence of John Wooden on their athletic department.  Former USA Olympian Lisa Fernandez took time out of her day to listen to the stories of the Ugandan coaches and share her experiences of being a champion in her sport.  

UCLA has helped Wooden’s legacy live on through the Wooden Academy.  The Ugandan coaches watched a documentary on Wooden, listened to speeches from administrators at UCLA, and they learned about his Pyramid of Success.  Wooden’s leadership principles have impacted UCLA and now they are influencing coaches and athletes across the globe in Uganda.

 

Thank you to SportsUnited, a division of the U.S. State Department for funding this International Sport Connection Cultural Exchange.  For more information, visit www.internationalsportconnection.org.