Athletics Books

Exceptional. Damon does a wonderful job explaining ideas and concepts in great deal with fun, true-to-life stories that are real and applicable to anyone's life journey. He shares his intellectual thoughts in a clear, concise manner that is easy to follow and will make you want to keep reading.

No bells and whistles or complicated, superficial language. This book is straight forward and if followed is sure to bring success to its readers! I have not read a book in some time (and very few) from the perspective of a person who is realistic and focused on the true tools to achieve. I will be purchasing one of these books for every athlete I know as well as struggling professionals. If at such an age this man has this much wisdom, it would be a sin not to share. If I were you, I wouldn't let another day go by without this information...this is if you truly want to succeed, or just want to sit around and talk about how you "wish" you could. Buy it today!

Excellent! I really needed this type of book in high school and college. His personal stories about his personal struggles were amazingly insightful. Everyone can relate to this book! This book is great! plain and simple!

It's about time someone writes a book that truly reveals the importance of perserverance. Not only for young black males but everyone. I kind of relate this book to a recent convention I watched on CSPAN. Bill Cosby was speaking At the Rainbow Coalition convention on CSPAN, during this speach he talked about people being overcomers, especially the African-American community. But he explained somehow over the years African-Americans have started to point the finger and make excuses. Rev Jesse Jackson who I am not a big fan made an interesting point that young athletes succeed in athletics because of the training, discipline and preparation but when it comes to education young people specifically young athletes do not have the same approach, therefore they do not experience the same level of success. Point being people succeed because of their level of will power, preparation and discipline which this book explains perfectly. This book "Don't stop the Swagger" is wonderful it actually gives the needed mindset to succeed in not only education, but in athletics, business and beyond. This book is required reading for all people not just athletes. Damon J Smith's website is excellent! Just type "iswagger" in the search engine. This is the type of material we need in our educational system.

"Don't Stop the swagger is a great read! it gives an interesting relationship between corporate moguls and professional athletes. This is a must read for all athletes young and old. But the Author's personal stories can relate to anyone from all walks of life. It's refreshing to see an athlete who can really write and articulate a message that anyone can learn from. The last chapter titled "Inner Man" is honest, thought provoking and different than anything I have read. This is a must read for all people! In the Second portion of this book he talks about essential career skills. He actually breaks career into an acronym meaning: C for communication, A for Attitude(positive), R for Relationships, E for Education, second E for entreprenuerial mindset and the last R for relationships. Just a well thought out book! I found these chapters relevant for the business person, student or whomever.

Whether a child, parent, or first time coach with no prior knowledge, this book is the perfect introduction to children's soccer. Add your league specifics and develop technically as you go. A first, must read.

This book provides a brief introduction to soccer, at the right level of detail for those new to the game. My 11-year-old son found the summary of the rules and strategies quite helpful. As a new coach, I was glad to have a compact volume that included most of what I needed to know. There are other books that provide more detail on the game and more exercises and drills for soccer players -- but this is the ideal "first book" for someone just learning about the game. I recommend it highly.

I am the first time coach of a second grade boys soccer team. This book was very easy to understand for the kids as well as myself. For kids that are relatively new to the game it explains positions, the different kinds of kicks and the all around basics of soccer without getting too technical. It has been a great aid for our team.

As a long time recreation coach and soccer parent, Brooks Clark offer the side of the game perfect for all coaches just starting out, or for any parents who know little about the game their children are playing. Concise and fun, a great read for the basic rules and strategies of soccer.

I read this book and now I feel all the more confident while training my son and his friends. I can explain them about the basics and the game and how to plan their game. Tecnicalities of the game are exaplined well in this book. Go ahead and buy this book to learn the basics of this game.

Truly enjoyed this book. It's very witty. I kept laughing and giggling through the book. At times I had to read some passages to my husband for a shared laugh. My favorite chapter was on the Marathon history. Very informative and humorous

This book is great for anyone after some serious conjugal bliss ! It was only by reading this book that my eyes were opened to the possibilities of meeting my soul mate in the 3 mile queue for the toilets before the start of the Menai Straits half marathon. The subtlety with which Mr Taylor alludes to the exquisite trials of nipple burn pronation and crotch chaff belies his deep appreciation of his subject. Mr Taylor's neo medicinal interest in vomitorial and lavatorial systems provides a regular evacuation of humour throughout the novel - Bronwen and I will be eternally indebted to him !

As a dedicated couch potato, I am really like books that let me experience exercise without ever having to do more than lift som e potato chips to my mouth. This book is great - it really makes you empathise with Russell Taylor's attempt to get fit, and learn how to run a marathon, without making you feel like you are reading an instruction manual. Clever and funny, in a way that will appeal to both running enthusiasts AND those who like reading humorous books on any subject.

'Looniness' might be a book about an unfit Londoner but the writing is anything but! This very funny author had me in more stitches than the one I got when I last attempted to run a marathon.

Well, there are lots of books nowadays in the market about how one swims, runs, bikes .....to regain lost championship, for his/hers lost brother.. to just almost everything and I have honestly read at least 15 of them.
What makes this book different is that it is written by a British author and it is refreshing to read about the sarcastic British humor about being a runner, for example : the long distance runner is always the first one discovered dead body ... I kept giggling and laughing throughout the whole book.
One problem - if you are an average american like me who masters the most between two to three thousands words, there are a lot of new words to be discovered in this book.

This book reminds me of Tuesday With Mory. I own a large café in Hollywood, California, and I have purchased copies of Lucky Every Day for all of my employees. I also purchased the book for my daughter's graduation. The inspirational messages and life lessons from Diane Geppi-Aikens appeal to people from all walks of life.
Kudos to Mr. Silverman!!
René Castillo

Life lessons learned and tested; on and off the lacrosse field.

A great inspirational book for yourself and better shared as a gift to your family and friends.

"Lucky Every Day," written by Chip Silverman, should be read by all. Diane Geppi-Aikens is a true inspiration. Her principles for living can be applied to every aspect of my life, every day of my life. This book is not to be missed!

I followed Ms. Geppi-Aikens final season at Loyola last year through articles in national publications along with television coverage such as the Today Show, ESPN, and Good Morning America. Her accomplishments as a lacrosse coach, and as an individual dying of brain cancer were awe-inspiring. Because of that I bought her book "Lucky Every Day"; and, after reading it in one sitting I now understand why she was such a remarkable individual. Author Chip Silverman has put together an outstanding series of stories from her former players that are motivating and truly inspirational; and relate not just to sports, but to every facet of humanity. Interestingly, I found this book quite a departure from two other books that I have read by Silverman: Diner Guys which follows the lives of the guys immortalized in Barry Levinson's film "Diner"; and "Ten Bears" an account of the first and only black college lacrosse team and its exploits as told by Silverman, the white coach of the black team. I would love to give ten stars to "Lucky Every Day", but you limit me to five.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was very fast reading and most enjoyable. One does not have to be a lacrosse or sports fan to be inspired by the lessons of Diane Geppi-Aikens. The anecdotes from her former players and the format of each chapter can inspire and motivate people from all walks of life be it business, social, etc. It also makes a great graduation gift, and I am buying my mother one for Mother's Day.

I was the skinny white kid from maryland i wanted to be good but i
was a bum. So i bought this book. Before the 12 week program ihad a 10 inch vertical leap, iwas 5'2 and weighed 70 pounds after using the program i know way 97 pounds am 5'4 have a 28 inch vertical leap. ia m also a real dominant player on the court with my 8% body fat. i also worked on shooting during the program and went from barely being able to shoot form the free throw line to shooting threes whit an unblockable form. i recomend this book to anyone. All you need is a goo weight set or not it dosen't matter.

This book is terrific. It has lots of great exercises that will help you get an edge on your friends. The exercise are well planned out and the test system helps see how well you are progressing. This books a must buy for anyone who wants to be physically trained for basketball!!!

This book has it all! From Stretching, to Strength Training, to Plyometrics Power Training, to Agility Training, to Speed Training. This book delivers motivation because it is the same source the NBA players use to get in top basketball condition. This book will get you to the highest level, and more.....

Well, as a college basketball player, I can say this book is somethin' special. Every new bball player should read it, cause it will change your thinkin' about this game, well it changed for me. Stretching section is realy good, cause not many of the players or coaches attend their attention to stretching these days. Strenght training exercises are specialy designed for bball players, and you don't have to think anymore what to do in the gym, what to train in order to become better bball player, everythin' is in this book. Ok, one thing is clear for sure, if you wanna train and play pro, read this book!!!

This book is terrific. It has lots of great exercises that will help you get an edge on your friends. The exercise are well planned out and the test system helps see how well you are progressing. This books a must buy for anyone who wants to be physically trained for basketball!!!

As much as people dont think that nutrition is important to the serious athlete, they are wrong. One of the keys unlocking your potential is what you put into your body. Before i had read this book, i had a few ideas/thoeries about what i put into my body and what foods i should eat and this book backed my ideas and gave me new ones. This book is one of my favorites, and serious athletes should follow it to a T.

As much as people dont think that nutrition is important to the serious athlete, they are wrong. One of the keys unlocking your potential is what you put into your body. Before i had read this book, i had a few ideas/thoeries about what i put into my body and what foods i should eat and this book backed my ideas and gave me new ones. This book is one of my favorites, and serious athletes should follow it to a T.

Best book I've read for the "semi serious" athlete. Although I don't compete anymore, I'm 74, I thought the info. for nourishing food and meals very helpful to me . Also,I never realized that hydrating after exercise was also important.

Dan Benardot's book 'Nutrition for Serious Athletes' is a must for the coach or athltete who desires to cover every base when it comes to athletic performance. Fundamental topics discussed include proper nutrition, hydration, supplements, timming of meals, good diets/bad diets, and sport specific diets. But what also adds to the immense value of Dan Benardot's book is the excellant index of meal plans, and nutritional values of foods.

What is of great importance in gaining knowledge is the issue of authority. It is something that is very important to me, for there are many individuals who claim to actually know something about athletic performance, yet they lack proper training and education. It is clear that Dan Benardot is not one of those individuals. Not only does he have PhD and RD distinction, but the text is also clear, logical, insightful and based on scientific evidence.

Terrance Grant

Dr. Benardot's text, Nutrition for Serious Athletes, is essential for both coach and athlete. It lays out in clear and precise fashion what is required, with regard to nurtition, for athletic success. Crucial topics, for athletic success, that are comprehensively discussed include: proper nutrition, hydration, supplements, meals for anaerobic and aerobic activities, and timing of meals. What also adds to the immense value of the text is the massive index of food sources of essential nutrients located at the end of the book. If you want to achieve your best athletic results, i.e., to maximize and actualize your true athletic potential, then this text is for you. It will not only show you how to fuel your body for the particular athletic you are training for and competing in, but also help you to understand why you should be fueling your body in that particular maner. All in all, this is an excellant text for the athlete, coach, or even the individual who just wants to have a clear understanding of proper nutrition.

Since i received this book i have used it many times over and it has saved me mega hours trying to surf the web for info!

It's all here in this great book! It's all in this book, from the Majors to the very obscure! Get the websites and emails without staring hours at your computer screen!

I also purchased the companion book, The International sports Directory and was amazed what is covered in the world of sports.

Both of these books are well worth the price! my congrats and thank you's to the author for coming out with two such great books!!! THANK YOU!!!

This is a FANTASTIC book! It has saved me 100's of hours surfing the web to try to locate information, when it's all there at your fingertips in minutes!!! Before surfing, get this book! Then go to the internet. The content of this book alone is simply amazing! Everything from International sports & the Olympics to the major leagues, minor leagues, real obscure semi-pro and amateur leagues, college info, interscholastic info! so much more info than I can mention here! Well worth every penny of the price! I also got their companion book, The International Sports Directory. Both books deserve an A+++ rating!

This is an amazing book! I'm sure much of the information is available on the internet, but this book saved me 100's of hours that I would have done in my research on surfing the web. I found the information I needed right at my fingertips in minutes, then went to the internet. The time this book saved me is well worth the price!!! Loads of information on everything from major league sports to the minor leagues, obscure semipro & amateur leagues, college information, etc. (much more information in the book than I can mention here) The book goes on and on with great info! I also got their companion book, The International Sports Directory! Both of these books deserve an A+++ Rating!!!

Anyone in the business of providing goods or services to sports organizations will find this book to be a money maker. By using such an incredibly comprehensive list, marketers can be sure to reach the widest possible number of prospects.

The Sports address Bible is a fantastic book! A super reference and resource book! It has saved me an enormous amount of time that I used to spend on the web searching for websites and information. With this book, I do my research quick and easy then hit the web! This is a sports reference book that everone should have! Hats off to the author! Well Done!

very informative. covers many areas. I will use and reuse this book for many years .

Coaches and anyone who works with children should check out this book. It will dispel all those myths you may have heard about training children in sports.

I am from Greece and it was quite easy for me to understand it and apply the meaning of this book to my athletes. Thank you Mr. Bompa.

It helped me a lot to understand the essentials of training my young kid, and designing an effective training strategy for his age.

It's hard to write a review without it sounding like an advertisement...This book dispels many myths of youth training like the need for early sports specific exercises. It covers exercises for all phases of youth development from ages 5 to 20. His advice, backed by world class achievement, can help you resist the pressure to put children through adult style training exercises and at the same time properly train children for future world class competition. I have compared his recommendations against many sources and have become convinced that they are correct. This book is a must have for Directors of Youth Coaching and Physical Development.

A most entertaining book - fun to read, and so informative - for once I read what the africans really do on a day to day basis.
A ruuner's coffee table MUST HAVE. MAde me wanna run... all the way to Africa!

This is the best running book I've ever come across - and I've read a few! It's easy to read & fun, makes we want to run to Africa to run... On a more serious note - it shows that the only way to improve is to train. It's informative and backed-up by some of the world's greatest runners. As Mr. Tanser says: Train Hard, Win Easy. Great reading!

If you are a "goal oriented" distance runner, you'll love this book. Most of us can forget trying the workouts listed here but hey, we can dream! This is a great thing to reread when one wants to get fired up about one's training. I really turn to this book when I am tempted to waste more money on fads, new gadgets, etc. :-)

The formula for Kenyan success in distance running? It is no secret, really. You will find about what you expect. Still, this book is worth reading.

This book also provides a few brief glimpses of Kenya's culture and of the various sub-cultures within.

A total break from the boring running books. This book actually tells us from a runner running with the great runners. Whenever I need a kick before training I just get out this book, read a couple of pages and I'm flying through the Rift Valley training with Moses Tanui!

I expected this to be a book, which would reveal all the secrets of Kenyan runners and take my own running to another level. I was a bit disappointed at first but when I started reading it more I found it very inspiring. It teaches you how crazy actually the Kenyan runners are with their training. This book does give training examples of what the Kenyans do but they are more like just "samples" of the training and it's hard to get a big picture. If you want to learn the secrets of Kenyan runners, forget it -- there are no secrets. These guys just train so hard that it would be a wonder if they wouldn't be world class runners. If you want find out what it takes to be a world class runner, this book could be your choice.

I bought a few copies as early Christmas gifts because I know my dad and brothers are big fans. After flipping through just the first few pages of photos and text, I knew I made the right choice. The author really covered his tracks. The photos are fantastic! There's no better time in the midwest than fall -- and this book seems to bring out the best of that season.

Touchdown! This book drives the length of the field to take the reader on a journey through small towns and big cities who live and die for football. The tradition of Ohio High School Football is second to none and Butler's brilliant narration mixed in with interviews from coaches, players, parents and fans captures what Friday night in the fall is all about - a social gathering of sorts where football is the main focus. Rothchild's photography allows the reader to experience every facet of Friday night football from the star quarterback to the mom selling programs to raise money for the band.

Across Many Fields is a must for anyone who loves high school football.

I hesitated to buy this book because I had read some negative things about it on some Ohio high school internet sites. Then I browsed a copy in a local bookstore and realized how foolish I was to wait. This is one of the finest books on high school football I've ever seen (and I own many).

Across Many Fields is about football with capital "F". Having read it now (which I suspect some critics have not), I realize the authors were looking for the whole picture and that people unhappy with it were upset because their team wasn't represented. Well, this book isn't about one team or another. It's about all the teams in Ohio that strap on the helmets each season and all the people who support these young men (and a few women).

The pictures are tremendous, glorious and the writing is smooth and creative. For any football fan, for anyone who has relished the crisp autumn air on a Friday night in a local football stadium, this book is a can't miss. You'll be transported!

This book took me back to my high school years. I was a 320 pound offensive lineman. The 4 years I played high school football were the best of my life. I can never get them back, but with this book I was able to bring back all my memories. Chris and Jen have provided ex-jocks like me something to hold on to. I reccomend this book to anyone who wants some way to recall those glory years of high schoo.
Giles Powell.

While Across Many Fields chronicles the 2001 Ohio high school football season, this book is to be enjoyed by all -- regardless of the reader's geographic location. Across Many Fields goes well beyond statistics and X's and O's to explore the very essence of high school football; whereas a Friday Night Lights exposes the darker side of a big-time high school program, AMF is a celebration of the sights, sounds, athletes, and communities that make autumn evenings special for so many. From big-time rivalries to small town tradition, this book explores high school football with a depth and passion that make it a captivating read.

Handsomely photographed and insightfully written, Across Many Fields is a timeless tribute to a uniquely American institution.