There are many names synonymous with college basketball, but none are on the same level as Mike Krzyzewski.
LIFE
Mike Krzyzewski, born to polish immigrants William and Emily Krzyzewski on February 13, 1947, was raised on Chicago’s north side. Although both parents have passed away, the example of integrity and ethics have never left him. In fact, his mothers influence of a strong faith has kept the ritual of placing her rosary in his shirt pocket before each and every game that he has coached. This positively affected Mike and shaped his future to become one of the greatest coaches in men’s college basketball, and more importantly, an influential leader these young players could look up to even after playing the game.
Growing up, Krzyzewski belonged to a group of neighborhood sidekicks tagged The Columbos, in which they could always be found taking part in playground basketball. ‘Mickey’, as he was known in this fraternity, had long been interested in sports but street ball with The Columbos is where he first learned to love the game. (Hines-Brigger, n.d.)
While children usually had more than their parents in the Polish neighborhood in Chicago, young Krzyzewski was a successful point guard at Weber High School, an all-boy Catholic prep school. He was afforded the opportunity due to his parents paying extra to send him, despite his father being an elevator operator in Willougby Tower and his mother, a woman who scrubbed floors at the Chicago Athletic Club. Love and support from both parents at a young age provided him confidence as an adult. (Krzyzewski, 2001)
While at Weber, Krzyzewski was recruited to play basketball for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point by none other than Bob Knight. Coach Knight was also a strong infl...
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...most of us struggle with the concept of prioritization.
He is a family man first, a teacher second, a coach third and he is winning at all three. (Krzyzewski, 2001)
Works Cited
Sellers, P. (2011, Dec. 9). Duke’s Coach K on what makes a champion. Retrieved from http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/12/09/duke-coach-k-krzyzewski/
Hines-Brigger, S. (n.d.). A Strong Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar2006/Feature2.asp#top
Krzyzewski, M. (2001). Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life. New York, NY: Business Plus
Sellers, P. (2011, Dec. 9). Duke’s Coach K on what makes a champion. Retrieved from http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/12/09/duke-coach-k-krzyzewski/
Sports Information, Duke (2014). Retrieved from http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=152844
Weber, Ben. “For Success: Lots of Scoring.” Coach & Athletic Director 1.4(2000). 29 Mar. 2002 http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org
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Wertheim, L. (1998). A Curious Career Phil Jackson Has Gone From Cloistered Child to Free- Spirited Player to Championship Coach. Somehow it all Seems to Fit. Sports Illustrated, 36.
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