John Wooden’s ‘Pyramid of Success’ banner saved amid old South Bend YMCA’s demolition

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - A beloved banner with a lot of history has been taken off the wall at the old YMCA on Northside Boulevard.

“The Pyramid of Success” is a nod to the late, legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden who also coached basketball and served as athletic director at South Bend Central High School.

Wooden died just weeks before his 100th birthday in 2010, but his legacy — including his belief in “The Pyramid of Success” — continues to be felt in South Bend.

“We teach the children about ‘The Pyramid of Success.’ It isn’t just about how good you are at basketball, it’s how you are in life,” says Kirby Falkenberg, the former president and CEO of the old YMCA on Northside Boulevard. “If you pay attention to that, that’s the building blocks for the Y.”

The banner will be relocated to the new YMCA in downtown South Bend.