Wooden Conducts Crespi Practice

They should have sold tickets, called television stations and flown in coaches from across the nation to witness an extraordinary 40-minute basketball practice Monday night at Crespi High.

There was 89-year-old John Wooden, the Wizard of Westwood, standing at center court with his arms folded and a whistle in his hand, ordering 14 Crespi basketball players to move as if there names were Alcindor, Walton, Warren and Goodrich.

“Goodness gracious, don’t just stand there,” he said. “Bend, twist, turn, run in place. I don’t want any stomping.”

Wooden, who lives in Encino, was invited to speak by Crespi Coach Dick Dornan. Wooden obliged with a 20-minute lecture in which he quoted Socrates and Abraham Lincoln.

But Dornan and Crespi’s players never imagined Wooden would start blowing his whistle and telling players to take the court to learn fundamentals from a man who coached UCLA to 10 NCAA championships.

“Those kids will never forget that moment,” Dornan said.

This was no light practice, either. Wooden directed the players through a series of full-court drills, and when he saw something he didn’t like, he let the players know it.

“No, no, no, keep the left foot the pivot foot,” he said. “I want your feet parallel to the line. I don’t want any passes to go from one side to the other. I don’t want the ball to touch the floor. Be quick but don’t hurry.”

On and on he went, speaking passionately into a microphone while sitting in an arm chair near half court.

“This is pretty unbelievable,” said football Coach Ron Gueringer, who dropped by in the middle of the practice. “How many high school players can say they’ve been coached by John Wooden?”

Crespi’s players, who weren’t even born when Wooden last coached in 1975, appeared in awe of a man who looked like a kindly grandfather but spoke with the expertise and wisdom of a master teacher.

“He’s a legend,” junior guard Andrew Moore said. “Everything he says you know is coming from a champion. He still knows how to teach the fundamentals of the game. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Afterward, players took photos with Wooden and asked for his autograph.

When they went home to tell their parents that John Wooden had coached them for a day, no one probably believed them.

But it was true, and those who watched it will never forget it.

“That was a thrill,” Dornan said.