University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Nick Ekbatani, Dr. Foster Mobley Speak at Wooden Academy
May 15, 2013 | Bruin Athletics
May 15, 2013
Several hundred UCLA student-athletes gathered in Pauley Pavilion on May 13 for the Wooden Academy's annual Spring meeting, which featured guest presentations from two dynamic Bruin alums, Nick Ekbatani and Dr. Foster Mobley.
The evening started off with a visit from Ekbatani, a former offensive lineman who played football for UCLA from 2006-2009. Less than a year ago, he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that resulted in the loss of his left leg below the knee.
Ekbatani, who as a student-athlete attended the first-ever Wooden Academy meeting more than six years ago, spoke about the life-altering accident and of his determination to deal with the adversity by following Coach Wooden's set of threes, "Don't whine, don't complain, don't make excuses."
"When I heard Nick speak, it reminded me of a quote someone told me when I was a kid: Adversity doesn't make a man, it reveals a man to himself. Nick is truly an inspiration, and it's an honor to have him come back and share his story with all of us," said Librado Barocio, sophomore defensive back on the football team.
Later in the meeting, Dr. Mobley, the founder and chief executive officer of The Foster Mobley Group and author of "Leadersh*t: Rethinking the Path to Great Leading," addressed the student-athletes in attendance. His presentation, "Full Stream, Full Performance" focused on defining success and identifying the hindrances that limit full performance.
In addition, Dr. Mobley, who works closely with the softball and gymnastics teams on leadership and teamwork, shared practical tips that student-athletes can utilize to improve their performance.
"It's always inspiring to hear Foster speak because he really understands the mind of a student-athlete," said Samantha Peszek, a junior on the gymnastics team. "He presents everyday motivational ideas in a unique way that helps me refocus and re-establish what it means to be a champion. It is an honor to work with him; he seems to have a special talent that makes good athletes great."
The Wooden Academy is the UCLA Athletic Department's leadership development program that is designed to educate Bruin student-athletes on the leadership standards placed upon them. The program is named after legendary Coach John Wooden and strives to teach the values and principles of his `Pyramid of Success', which he taught to each of his teams during his coaching career.
It was Coach Wooden's hope that the Wooden Academy would inspire current student-athletes in their pursuit to be successful leaders and teammates at UCLA and as they prepare to be champions in life.
