Twenty-five years ago, UCLA students made a commitment to honor
coach John Wooden.
Following the 10 national championships he brought to UCLA in a
12-year span, students and university officials pushed for a
“Wizard of Westwood” legacy.
Five years later, in 1983, it was built: the John Wooden Center,
a facility for the education of the physical body.
While many lacked enthusiasm for a new recreational facility and
its multi-million dollar price tag, Wooden and the student
government campaigned for alumni support and the building was soon
completed.
Today, there is no doubt that the Wooden Center has made a
significant contribution to the lives of UCLA students and faculty.
Each year, its gates are passed through over one million times, a
number even coach Wooden would not have envisioned.
“I never would have expected (the Wooden Center) to have
over a million entries per year,” he said. “The more we
can serve, the better I feel. When we first began the project, I
didn’t want a facility just for the men’s basketball
team. I wanted a facility for the entire student body.”
It certainly serves more than just the men’s basketball
team. Consistent high-volume traffic testifies to the Wooden
Center’s enormous demand, but limited availability in the
weight room and lists for racquetball court reservations have
discouraged some.
“Unless you’re willing to work out at 7 a.m.,
you’re going to have to wait,” first-year student Jeff
Defazio said. “The Wooden Center should be a place where a
student can enjoy a workout without inconvenience.”
Help is on the way.
Last Friday, Chancellor Albert Carnesale and John Wooden
commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Wooden Center and
highlighted plans for its new addition, Wooden West. Expected to
open next year, the new facility will contain a weight room three
times its current size, among other improvements.
Carnesale acknowledged the importance of student leadership to
the construction, renovation and addition to the Wooden Center.
Greg Erlich, the student body president in 1977-1978 who helped
initiate student funding of the construction, joined current USAC
president David Dahle at the commemoration.
It was announced that May 16 was officially John Wooden Center
Appreciation Day.
Carnesale reiterated the purpose and mission of the facility
endorsed by John Wooden. The addition of Wooden West “should
exist for the benefit of the entire UCLA community with a
commitment to the education of the student ““ mind and
body.” Wooden also mentioned that he has always considered
himself a teacher.
Most will remember his achievements as a teacher of basketball,
but Wooden’s legacy underscores one particular teaching: the
value of an educated mind and a well-exercised body.
As the 93-year-old coach said Friday, “if you let
academics take too much precedence, you won’t be around too
long!”