Customer Reviews

Hard Work: A Life On and Off the Court

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4 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Hard Work traces the improbable story of Roy Williams, now legendary head coach of Kansas and North Carolina. Roy's family had no money but his mother instilled values that would serve him for a lifetime.

What made this story fascinating was the way Williams planned his career trajectory. Knowing he wanted to be a great basketball coach, he turned down a scholarship at Georgia Tech so he could apprentice with Dean Smith of UNC. He worked all sorts of jobs to get through college. Later he worked all sorts of jobs to be on the staff with Dean Smith first as a volunteer, then as a part-time assistant.

After becoming a full time assistant coach at UNC, Roy still thought carefully about his career moves. He turned down several well-paid jobs till the right athletic director came calling from Kansas. Once established at Kansas, Roy rejected UNC's first offer to return as head coach. .

I got a little bogged down in the details of some games, because I am not a follower of these teams. My only quibble is that we don't get a sense of Coach Williams's coaching personality. He talks a little about what he said to teams in specific situations. But we don't get the same sense of personality as we do with the stories of other coaches, such as the legendary Pat Summitt. She also talks about hard work and she shows how she integrates her philosophy into the teams.
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Williams's story can be viewed as a fable for career planning. Start early and stay fixed on your goal" is the message we get.

Williams found that his gambles paid off. Could he have become a big-time college coach another way? Possibly. But this path makes a great story. Recommended as a life story even if you're not a die-hard basketball fan.

Basketball fans will love this biography of a dirt poor son of an alcoholic father who is not really gifted at anything but gets ahead with "hard work" the title. UNC fans will love it and everyone will appreciate the rags to riches story of a coaching "legend in his own time".

This book gives you the behind the scenes look at what the life of a college basketball coach is like. Nothing is sugar coated and it is a great read!

I'm not a sports fan. I didn't even know who Roy Williams was. BUt, I picked the book because I was trying out our library's new ebooks section. And, I love nonfiction. So, that's how the book was selected. What a fortuitous find. This book is fantastic. I love Roy's work ethic, his humility, his love of his wife and children, his interest in his students, and cares about his team's character. Roy had a tremendous disadvantage with the father he had, yet he was a terrific father to his own children and to his teams. I admire this coach a great deal, so when the NCAA tournmanet rolls around next year, I'll be rooting for NC and Roy Walker.

I received this book for Christmas and just started reading it today. It is a wonderful book, very well-written and in what you would imagine as Roy Williams' style - straight to the point but also very interesting. It's a very good read so far - can't put it down. I read the first two chapters in one sitting!!

As a Tar Heels fan who reveres Dean Smith (Roy and I have that in common!), I can't help but note that in some ways Roy modelled his book after A Coach's Life--including his section on his philosophy and listing of all the boys who played for him. Frankly, there could be no better role model and, say what you want about Roy, he is smart enough to know it and wise enough to acknowledge it.

Roy's story is quite different than Dean's. Roy grew up in severe poverty and with a father who abused his mother continuously. Sweet as Roy (truly) is, he had to learn to be a fighter and he became one, first when he stood up for his mother at a young age and throughout his life. He learned independence early, taking a bus by himself to the Y to play sports. His mom worked several jobs to support him and his sister, yet always left a dime by his bedside for the Coca-Cola he so adored.

Roy repaid that love and devotion--not only to his mother but through the commitment he has shown to the young men who played for him at Kansas and UNC. Threaded through the book are stories of his relationships with many of these young men and you can tell that Williams is completely sincere and voluble on the subject. His warmth (and the heat of his temper) come through the pages of the book. He is such a people person!

Because of that, I was surprised that there was no mention of UNC mascot Jason Ray or UNC student Eve Carson in the retelling of the years in which they died so young; these deaths viscerally impacted the UNC teams.

That's just a comment of surprise--not a criticism. If you care about UNC basketball, you need to read this book. I am surprised that there are only three reviews of this book with as heated and opinionated a fan base as the University of North Carolina has--since they second guess him often enough!

Not me, though. I think Ol Roy knows what he's doing. He's not Dean Smith, but he doesn't have to be. Roy Williams is more than alright with me.

Well written and of such great substance. No better topic and very straight forward and seemingly honest in it's content. Coach Williams is obviously a tribute to the game and humanity as a whole. Doesn't hurt that he is also from the reviewers front yard either. Good book, thanks!

Hard Work is not just for the avid UNC fan-- it will appeal to anyone looking for a rags-to-riches, feel-good story about the journey of a man who never did anything halfway. From selling calendars to coaching two teams to National Championships, Williams gave his all to every endeavor. It is the story behind the coach, and not just a praise of his accomplishments. Roy Williams' National Titles will mean so much more after reading this book-- alone, they're remarkable, but how he got there (twice) is nothing short of inspiring.

The book was in good shape with some wear. Good overall. I was happy with the product and would buy again from this vendor.

Such an inspiring story from Roy Williams. He deserves all the respect he receives because he has defiantly earned it.