Positive Coaching- Building Character and Self-Esteem Through Sports Description:

Positive Coaching: Building Character and Self-Esteem Through Sports review:
5 stars (Great for the thinking Coach) - I got this book just as I was about to coach a new teeball team and found its insight very helpful. Not a book about what drills to use but about motivation, handling people and protecting peoples love of the sport. More cerebral than I would expect in a coaching book. I used much of the material in my business career. Now I am starting his next book, "Shooting in the Dark".
5 stars (Turn your coaching career around like this book turned mine.) - I coach volleyball in grade school and junior high school, and I usually get the "B teams" (the leftovers who are not as talented as the girls on the "A" team.) Therefore, if there ever was a crying need for a book on how to coach these types of athletes, this book more than served its purpose for me. Actually, this book had a positive effect on me since it saved my coaching career. Don't get me wrong, though, this book will turn around any coach's career whether he has an A or a B team. I coached a group of 13 and 14 year old softball players the year that I purchased this book. At the beginning of the season, the only team these girls could beat was themselves; in fact, that was primarily the reason they were losing was the fact that they were beating themselves! Well, after one mediocre game, I sat the girls down on the bench and instead of reading them the riot act, I took to heart a suggestion by the author. I emphasized all the positive aspects of the game they played just to show these girls that they were capable of doing some positive things. I did this after each game from then on, win or lose. Wouldn't you know it, these same rag tag girls lost the last the last game of the season: the city championship game by one run (to a team that annihilated them by 12 runs in the first game of that season.) This was an example of positive coaching, and I've used everything in this book to my advantage to become a successful POSITIVE coach. Thanks Mr. Thompson for turning my career around!
5 stars (HS Coach Reviewer - Please Stay in MI and Out of VA) - I don't doubt for a minute that you completely missed the theme and messages of this book - you expose your true colors and attitudes towards kids with your "cross-eyed, overweight child" and "fat, blind kid" pejoratives. "Players must understand their skill level limits them" - I can hear you now getting that message (loudly, clearly and strongly, no doubt to toughen them up for the "real world" - yeah, right) across to young adults on a daily basis. What magic you must weave in the lives of these young people. If the generalizations fit, go ahead and wear them - clearly you have no use for any child that isn't contributing to that bottom line (for you) - WIN. Rest easy that your opinion is the dominant one in the youth coaching ranks, however - and thus the need for this book.