This is a cool Los Angeles Times story from last week on Yutaka Shimizu, basketball assistant coach at Taft High: Taft High basketball gets old-school coaching lift from Yutaka Shimizu.With over fifty years of experience, Shimizu is considered something of a Los Angeles high school basketball institution. The article begins with a simple story involving revered UCLA basketball coach John Wooden:
Woodland Hills Taft Coach Derrick Taylor was in Louisville, Ky., four years ago coaching the West team in the McDonald's All-American game when he walked into a room for breakfast with assistant coach Yutaka Shimizu.Last weekend, Coach Shimizu helped Woodland Hills Taft win its third City Section Division I title with a 66-62 win over Westchester.
Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke up.
"Coach Shimizu."
It was John Wooden.
"That's when you know you're the man, when the ultimate coach calls you over," Taylor said.