John Wooden's Fight Against the Status QuoWhen someone thinks of a person who opposed or changed the world, certain specific people come to mind in mind like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr. These people fought for civil rights. Although it was difficult for them to overcome this situation, they received a lot of support. John Wooden was also a famous person who championed civil rights. In 1947, his team was invited to the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball national tournament in Kansas. (Old) They stated in the contract that no African Americans were allowed in the tournament, so John Wooden refused the offer, saying the policy they used was unfair to a player on his team , Clarence Walker. He stood up for his African-American player and stood up to the world in another way as well. (Former) He opposed the world of basketball. “The main ingredient to stardom is the rest of the team.” -John Wooden. (My Personal Best 23) This quote represents what John Wooden believed, how he thought, and how he wanted people to act. He believed that hard work was the only way to get things done. The world saw that he worked hard and did everything he could, but they didn't believe he would become the greatest basketball coach of all time. John Wooden showed the world that he would try to succeed by working hard as a young child, developing a new training technique, and breaking numerous basketball records as a coach. John Wooden lived on a farm in Martinsville, Indiana with his family of 5. His mother, Roxie Anne Wooden, and father, Joshua Hugh Wooden, raised him and his brothers with hard work and obedience. (Wooden on Leadership 35) His father had one rule, in his household chores and O'Risky 2, study ...... middle of paper ...... against the world and he succeeded. They show that he could find new ways to coach, new ways to play, and new ways to think while still being able to set world records that still stand today. 99 years old - GoSycamores.com—Official website of Indiana State Athletics. "Former Indiana State head basketball coach John Wooden dies at 99 - GoSycamores.com—Official website of Indiana State Athletics. Np, May 6, 2010. Web. March 30, 2014. “THE LEGEND, THE LEGACY, THE LESSONS.” The John R. Wooden Course, and Web March 30, 2014. My Personal Best: Life Lessons from One. All-American Journey. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004. Wooden, John and Steve Jamison. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print..