As a social studies teacher and a swim coach, I strive to inspire and guide my students and athletes every day. The single most influential framework I've introduced into both classroom and pool deck is John Wooden's Pyramid of Success. Wooden was a legendary basketball coach who created his Pyramid of Success. He built into each of the building blocks—if climbed, he felt—was needed to allow individuals and teams to reach a potential that had no ceiling. I have put these principles into practice, and the growth that I've witnessed excites me beyond words.
Industriousness and Enthusiasm
The base of Wooden's Pyramid of Success is: industriousness and enthusiasm. At the secondary level, in the social studies classroom, it often seems the word industriousness is synonymous with hard work and effort. I remind my students that I have to have them working at their absolute best in order to reach their learning target. Success has a funny way of finding hard-working and grinding individuals. This is the exact same manner through which I run my swim practices—that every stroke, every lap, every practice counts. Enthusiasm helps to fuel industriousness, with excitement for learning or race results arising from being enthused about what lays ahead. When students are enthusiastic or athletes, they will also be more engaged, motivated, and willing to persevere through challenging moments.
Friendship, Loyalty, Cooperation, Self-Control
The second block to Wooden's pyramid focuses on interpersonal relationships of the ability to self-regulate. In the classroom, the establishment of friendship and cooperation between the students fosters a pleasant learning environment, and every student is able to feel supported. Being loyal to one another and loyal to the goals of their team builds a trust that is critical for success in any group. Self-control, or controlling one's own emotions and behaviors, allows one to maintain their focus and discipline. Again—at the pool, this is of paramount concern. Swimming, although counted as a sport based on individual effort, really is a team sport. The success of any swim team depends on the spirit and cooperation of its Members. One of the best lessons an athlete can learn is to support a teammate, win or lose. This makes the team stronger together. And, when the athlete follows the principle of self-control, he learns to handle his energy, his emotions, his performance in pressure situations.
Alertness, Initiative, and Intentness
These three mark off the next level. In social studies, for example, it is recommended that the instructor alert students to the news, or historical timelines that assist in shaping understandings of the world. Initiative is more related to the initiative a student takes to interact with the course material themselves, e.g. contributing in discussion boards, finding their materials. Intentness is the ability to stay on a goal, despite diversions and adversity. In swimming, alertness would mean that they are aware of their technique, their competitors, and what's going on in practice and during a race. Initiative means they set goals and work towards them on their own and intentness means that they are committed to improving their actions and reaching their potential.
Condition, Skill, and Team Spirit
The fourth tier spells out preparation. In the classroom, condition refers to the mental strength and resiliency of students. By urging students to learn how to effectively study and manage their time, they are conditioned to meet academic rigor. Skill is twofold: it means mastering the content and applying critical thinking. Team spirit in the academic sense means working together to create a supportive and collaborative culture of learning. In swim coaching, physical conditioning is of the utmost importance. Ensuring that the athletes are at peak physical performance through rigorous practice is imperative. Skill building, in this sense, is developing and then perfecting the skills of the given sport. Team spirit may be considered a quality that is both dependent and independent of the participation in team sports, but it is one of the most vital aspects of swimming. To my knowledge, a team spirit-driven attitude encourages and is motivated by mutual encouragement and the pursuit of victory that is shared collectively.
Poise and Confidence
Making up the tip of the pyramid, poise, and confidence bring a person to a state of competitive greatness. Poise is the ability to keep oneself composed and perform under pressure, a skill I try to impress upon my students in the classroom and my swimmers in the pool. Confidence, similarly, is derived from preparation and self-belief. In social studies, I build confidence in my students by rewarding and showing them their capacity to exhibit their knowledge. For swimmers, it is through hard work and mastering skills, and it's about having the confidence necessary to believe in their ability to perform optimally when it counts. When my athletes approach the starting block with confidence, they are more likely to achieve their personal bests.
The Top: Competitive Greatness
Competitive greatness is at the peak of the Pyramid of Success; as Wooden states, this is the ability to perform to one's best and highest level when the stakes are raised. This level is the one that all the other blocks below work towards, and it is the one for which I try to lead my students and athletes. In social studies, this means pushing them to learn and master material and be active, good citizens. In the case of my swimmers, it means pushing them to reach their full potential and be great in competitions. This carries over to John Wooden's Pyramid of Success, where my students and athletes will be changed as they learn to strive for excellence, but also to value the journey and personal growth that goes along with it. This holistic approach breeds more than mere successful students and athletes; it breeds well-rounded, prepared individuals for the challenges in life.