Coaching Books

Was an much needed tool in getting us going in the right direction in our t ball program. I even called the author to discuss some things we were having problems with.

It seems there are a lot of YA books lately with sports themes, but tennis isn't usually the sport of choice. Carol Clippinger's OPEN COURT presents the competitive and emotional pressures of tennis.

Holloway "Hall" Braxton is just thirteen and is making her mark in the world of tennis. She has pretty much outgrown her competition in Colorado, so what is next? Both her coach and her parents think it's time to start looking at improving her world ranking, but Hall isn't sure she's ready. Competing in world class tournaments means moving on from her local coach and attending one of the private tennis academies her parents have been researching. It also means moving away from home.

Hall's life is suddenly more complicated than ever. It's not just her tennis life that is changing. She and her best friend seem to be headed in different directions. Her doubles partner recently suffered a nervous breakdown and is currently living in a mental facility. And then there's Luke, the country club, private school heartthrob who is suddenly paying Hall a lot of attention.

Every night Hall presses her ear to the heating vent between her room and the kitchen to hear her parents plot and plan her tennis future. Her father has his sights set on Bickford Tennis Academy in Florida. Her mother (Hall calls her The Weak Link) seems less sure about sending their only daughter off to swampy Florida and tennis torture. No one bothers asking Hall what she wants, and it's beginning to freak her out.

For awhile Hall tries to lose herself in the world outside tennis. She hangs with her friends, especially handsome Luke and new friend, Polly. Amazed that someone as popular as Luke could be interested in her, Hall explores another side of her personality as she sneaks out for late night swims and make-out sessions. Her longtime friendship with best friend Eve is abandoned as she spends time with more rebellious Polly. But tennis continues to haunt Hall. Is it just a game or is it a much more important part of who she is?

OPEN COURT reaches into the pressures of competitive tennis. The pressure to win, to please coaches and parents, the grueling hours of practice that interfere with friendships, and the powerful love of the game are all revealed in this fast-paced novel. Even those with little knowledge of the game of tennis will still appreciate the drive and determination that pushes and yet terrifies Hall. OPEN COURT is a worthwhile addition to any collection.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

I bought Mary Bast's book "Out of the Box Coaching with the Enneagram" at the International Coach Federation Annual Conference two years ago and subsequently looked her up to take a teleclass so I could learn more about her successful coaching methods. I have since hired her to be my own coach and am the proud owner of this newly published workbook that is my coaching bible and self-coaching staple. I have a thriving coaching practice and use her practical methods and assignments with my clients daily. This workbook is not only fun to read because it is full of real life stories, but is a wonderful reference for those tough to coach situations....especially when I need to coach myself!! It is worth every cent and more than the cover price! Pam Boney, Principal and Executive Coach, Executive Suite Coaching, Inc, Raleigh, NC

Paging back though this book brings back some wonderful memories of one of the most storied rivalries in professional sports, the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. A long-time fixture both on the internet boards and on Twin Ports radio, the Gator has firmly established himself as the Walt Whitman of the football world. His passion for the rivalry, as well as his uncanny observational skills, is humorously evident in every poem in this collection. The pictures of fans young and old, from both sides of the rivalry, only continue to emphasize the fun that this rivalry has brought to the Midwest.

This packet that consists 20 coaching cards can really help your child with hard times that many children go through in their lifetime. The coaching cards can not only help children with tough times but can also help them be very successful in life. For example one of the cards is called Be Flexible.If you look on the back of that card you will find when this card may be helpful. At the bottom of the card you will find a talk to your self messege which gives you advice about how to handle the situation. These parent coaching card can be very helpful for not just kids but adults too at times

This is my favourite little league baseball book. McCarthy's positive attitude and ability to explain a difficult game to learn is wonderful not only for parents who have never played, but also for those who have.

I have used his technique of positive reinforcement and releasing the hitter within with my teams over the past few years. It works. His description of the positions and where kids can and should play is really helpful.

Although the basic mechanics and techniques may not satisfy the advanced players, there is enough there to allow any parent to spend some quality time with their kids.

The only criticism I have is that the quality of some of the photos is not the greatest.

The second edition of Peer Coaching for Educators still contains the basic guidelines and transparency masters for setting up a peer coaching program in a school, department or student teaching program. The simple five step process can be transferred to active practice with rules, checklists, sample scripts, and suggestions for feedback and coaching. The new comparisons with teacher evaluation and peer review teams will be valuable to administrators and district officers. Best of all, this model of peer coaching can be used for peers who are teachers, peer who are administrators, and peers who are staff development trainers.

What drives men to rob a stagecoach? Perilous Trails, Dangerous Men: Early California Stagecoach Robbers and Their Desperate Careers, 1856-1900 is an informative and engaging survey of notorious stagecoach robberies. Author William Secrest examines the motivations and experiences of robbers who made their livings attacking stagecoaches. Black and white vintage photos pepper their stories.

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (11/07)

What could be more exciting than to be a part of a basketball camp with a bunch of other boys who love the same sport? This is a bright spot too, since Jay, and his family, is forced to live with his grandfather since his family lost their house in a fire. Jay is all excited to be a part of the Acadia University Basketball Camp in Nova Scotia. He gets to stay in an actual college dorm and be away from home for a whole week. What makes it even better is the fact that his best friend Mike is going to the same camp.

What starts out as being probably the most thrilling thing that has ever happened in Jay's life, takes a horrible turn. Mike's older brother, Chad, who is supposed to be the boy's coach and mentor, is not at all what a mentor should be. It will take some work on the part of the boys to make it through a tough week. Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Chad used to seem like such a great guy. It takes the boys to make a difference in Chad's life.

"Personal Best" is an exciting continuation of the story which was first introduced in Sylvia Gunnery's book "Out of Bounds." I am anxiously waiting to see if Ms. Gunnery decides to continue Jay's story in another book.

This book is a great read! It lays out the rules for having credit cards and checking accounts that I wish I had when starting out with my personal finances. I finally found out how checks are used by banks and department stores. And I like the ways to protect myself from getting my personal information ripped off and my credit ruined. And the ways to get out of financial trouble if your in it are wonderful.

This book also has many ways to get free money in the form of grants for college and starting a business that I find useful. Many foundations and the government have a lot of money they give away every year. There is a lot of free money out there that I didn't even know about, like credit cards and special financing deals for cars and furniture.

I always thought that a budget was about counting pennies, but I was wrong. The way to create a budget in the book is easy and makes sense. And there is a lot of good information about easy investing for the future. I loved it!