University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA Hosts Spring Wooden Academy
April 19, 2011
UCLA hosted the Spring Wooden Academy for Bruin student-athletes on Monday, April 18. The theme of the evening was `Confidence' and featured All-American women's basketball alum and UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Captain Anita Ortega. Bruin basketball alum and current ESPN College Basketball Analyst Sean Farnham acted as the host for the evening.
Ortega shared her story of becoming a Bruin and the hard work she endured while helping the Bruins win their first national championship in women's basketball. She spoke about her decision to pursue a career in law enforcement and the opportunity to be the first Afro-Puerto Rican to oversee an Area Command in the Los Angeles Police Department. Farnham and Ortega talked about the many valuable lessons they learned as student-athletes and the important role that confidence has played in their professional careers.
"I was inspired by Anita's story," said gymnast Allison Taylor. "The confidence and humility she learned as a student-athlete translated into her success in law enforcement."
Added softball player Brooke Finley, "Anita Ortega's story of overcoming obstacles to follow her dreams and achieve success was truly inspiring. It showed all of us what it means to be a Bruin for life. Her passion for UCLA was still very much apparent as she passed on words of encouragement to the student-athletes. I enjoyed her words about using John Wooden's principle of Confidence in our daily lives in order to be successful."
The Wooden Academy is the UCLA Athletic Department's leadership development program that is designed to educate and support the standards of leadership for Bruin student-athletes. The pillars of The Wooden Academy are Teamwork, Leadership and Character. The goal is to teach the values and principles that Coach Wooden used to create his `Pyramid of Success.' It was Coach Wooden's hope that the Wooden Academy would educate and inspire current Bruins in their pursuit to be successful leaders and teammates as they prepare to be champions in life.
The inaugural Wooden Academy began in 2007 and featured Coach Wooden and UCLA Hall of Fame women's basketball player, Ann Meyers Drysdale. Since then, The Wooden Academy has enlisted the experience and talent of some of the school's most prominent Bruin alumni to share their stories of success and leadership. Wooden Academy speakers over the last five years have included : Sue Enquist, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Terry Donahue, Rick Neuheisel, Ed Kezirian, Beth Orozco, Paul Nihipali, Andy Hill, Rafer Johnson, Valorie Kondos Field and Kim Anthony Hamilton. In addition, each event spotlights a block of Coach Wooden's `Pyramid of Success' and provides participants with practical leadership lessons.
"In life, the experiences and people we encounter can influence and shape our lives in such a positive way," said football player Dalton Hilliard. "I love having the opportunity to meet and listen to inspirational Bruin alums at the Wooden Academy."