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Better Way to Lead/Teach
From Dad to Coach: 17 Rules for Coaching Youth Sports teaches readers the seventeen essential rules you have crafted for being an effective coach that makes a lasting impression on their athletes. I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
I would say the hardest aspect was when I told my story concerning the ref in Rule 15, looking back on that situation is still embarrassing to this day. I cringe remembering how I acted on the field and the arrogance I displayed.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It’s really hard for me to pick just one idea because the book is very dense with information that I found the most useful. If I had to pick one, it would be Rule 5: Avoid Excessive Yelling. I have just seen so many coaches (including myself) err in this area, and it really is detrimental to a program and can ruin a kid’s love for the sport. There’s a better way to lead/teach that is both more enjoyable and effective for the coach and player.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
I hope this book inspires dads to coach. That is my main goal. I wish I had this resource available to me on day one. If you are a new coach looking for philosophies on how to coach or simply a coach looking to grow, then this book is for you.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
From Dad to Coach: 17 Rules for Coaching Youth Sports
Cole Parsley’s From Dad to Coach is a compelling and insightful collection of effective coaching practices drawn from his extensive experience coaching young athletes and incorporating the strategies and perspectives of other renowned coaches. Parsley candidly shares the mistakes and challenges he faced, offering valuable lessons on how to avoid and rectify these errors. Readers will learn why overly complex strategies and demanding drills can hinder student growth, how to effectively communicate with referees even in contentious situations, and the impact of aggressive parents and discordant assistant coaches on coaching success. Prepare to be enlightened by Cole’s engaging stories, his recommended reading, and the exceptional coaching strategies detailed in From Dad to Coach.
Parsley’s willingness to openly discuss his flaws and mistakes makes this book a highly instructive and illuminating guide. Few people would admit to ignoring advice about simplicity in their first year of coaching, but Cole does so with refreshing honesty. He provides vivid accounts of his coaching failures and successes, allowing readers to learn from his experiences and avoid similar pitfalls. His writing style is fluid and natural, making it easy for readers to absorb and apply the lessons. The book’s lessons are presented in an engaging manner, complemented by enlightening stories and references to influential works such as Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People and Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. From Dad to Coach is packed with useful information and thoughtful coaching guidelines for maintaining professionalism and a positive mindset. It offers valuable psychological insights and social skills applicable both during games and off the court. One of the standout quotes from the book emphasizes the importance of respecting “everyone, including referees and umpires, with humility and kindness.”
Any coach serious about their career will find this book to be an invaluable lifelong companion. Its messages are conveyed concisely and efficiently, enriched with stories from esteemed coaching experts and Cole’s honest personal anecdotes. From Dad to Coach is a must-read for coaches seeking to improve their craft. Read it, learn from it, and put its teachings into practice immediately.
Pages: 96 | ASIN : B0D3W1SJBX
The Greatest Basketball Player I Ever Saw
The Greatest Basketball Player I Ever Saw by Dr. Len Bergantino is a touching mix of sports biography and autobiography. It is likely the most unique biography you’ll ever have the pleasure of reading. Doctor Bergantino is an eccentric writer who has already written on various subjects. However, with this book, he has turned his hand to writing a sports biography. The strange part is he has chosen to write it about a sportsman you will never have heard of who died at the tender age of 18.
The book is a biography of Billy Finn, Bergantino’s high school best friend who died in a car crash before he ever had a chance to become famous. Bergantino spends much of the book explaining why he thinks Finn was the best basketball player of all time. Finn’s abilities are described as almost supernatural. This part of the book will likely appeal to anyone interested in basketball or amateur sports.
The book isn’t just about Billy Finn, the sportsman, however. Instead, it is a monument to Finn, Bergantino’s friend. I think this is the part of the book that will really appeal to most readers. Bergantino shares with us, the reader, touching anecdotes of what he and Finn got up to as young men. His love for his childhood friend, even 50 years after his passing, is evident and touching.
Bergantino’s affection for Finn is almost infectious. The book is written in such a way that the reader finds themselves caring about a young man they had never heard of before. Finn’s personality is described as warts and all. The two young men don’t always see eye to eye, and Bergantino doesn’t shy away from this. Even the best of friends annoy each other from time to time.
The book is a short, easy read. Bergantino’s writing is energetic if a bit frantic at times. He is a fan of hyperbole, and some of his claims about Finn may have to be taken with a pinch of salt. The eccentric style is enjoyable for most of the book, but the final chapter, in which he talks about how Finn has been reincarnated, may leave some readers, myself included, feeling a little cold. It feels like this last chapter goes off on a little bit of a tangent.
All in all, The Greatest Basketball Player I Ever Saw is a touching biography of a young man you more than likely have never heard of. But, whether you’re a sports fan or not, the book is mostly a beautiful monument to a man whose best friend still bitterly misses him.
Pages: 81 | ASIN : B0865X1P48
LITERARY TITAN 