Customer Reviews

Raising a Team Player: Teaching Kids Lasting Values on the Field, on the Court and on the Bench

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Harry Sheehy really nails so many critical ideas in this book. The most important for me was the concept that values are taught through sports, just as much as skills. We need to carefully evaluate what we are teaching and how we are teaching it. Both parents and coaches will benefit from reading this book and thinking about the key ideas it contains. It made me think. I especially enjoyed the chapter on enthusiasm, and the parts which talk about teams and the many ways kids need to contribute to make a team successful. The acecdote about the reserve on the basketball team who had such a powerful effect on the practices was inspiring. Good lessons for life.

If you have ever seen a Harry Sheehy team play, and you know anything about basketball, you've seen a prime example of team play. Year in, year out, with a lot of talent or without, his teams get maximum results from their talent. Winning with talent is easy...winning as many games as possible, every year requires great coaching skill.
Harry has brought that same talent to writing. If you have a child or children who like sports, get this book...read it...and read it again until you REALLY understand what Harry is saying...then put his ideas into action...you and your kids will be much better for it.

Harry Sheehy wrote an great book, here. It's easy to read, straight to the point, and provides valuable information and ideas for parents of children in sports. A read I would reccomend to many people.

I like this book so much. It has taught me lots of valuable information about sportsmanship. It has also taught me how to "take" a loss. This book really deserves a five-star rating. I would recommend it to anyone--young or old.

I picked up this book because I have spent the last 9 months working up here at Williams College. I was pleasantly surprised with the topics and the pace of the book. Make no mistake, this is a quick read which is exactly the point - there are many lessons that one can take from this book and apply them immediately - whether it be in sports or working with young adults. I am somewhat befuddled with the first reviewer's comments - was he expecting a tome from Herman Melville, the other resident writer of the Berkshires? This book is from the heart and can be applied to the myriad of life's challenges - whether they be athletic, social or emotional.

Coming from Long Island I knew about Harry Sheehy. After reading his new book, I understand why he's been so successful as a player, coach and athletic director. I love that he writes about both girls and boys and to both mothers and fathers. The book is easy to read and not only itentifies the problem with youh sports, but tells us how to rectify them in real ways. I recommend this book to parents, coaches and kids. I think it's a fun read and a valuable addition to sports writing.

This book is great! It is easy to read and apply in everyday life. As a parent I'm always concerned about how to handle situations on and off the court/field with my children. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has kids and/or has the opportunity to coach kids.

"Raising a Team Player" delivers solid, sometimes inspiring, advice to help coaches and parents lay a foundation of values for young athletes. Author Harry Sheehy explains the importance of teaching kids teamwork, integrity, goal setting, and the benefits of hard work. He emphasizes that players have to learn how to handle both wining and losing graciously.

"Character is revealed after a loss," Sheehy writes, adding, "If you can help kids look at losing as an opportunity to improve, you can help them make dramatic strides."

Sheehy draws on his experiences as a college basketball player and coach to illustrate his points with good examples.

A couple of caveats: This book is probably best for coaches and parents of kids 10 years old and up (younger children are not ready for the lessons Sheehy outlines). Also, the final chapter, called "Enthusiasm," should be moved up - I suggest reading it sometime in the first half of the book, where it fits better.

This isn't a book that has to be read all at once - it could be valuable as sort of a reference book. When you run into issues related to youth sports, whether as a coach or a parent, you can turn to this book for perspective and a reminder of core values.

A must-have, must-read for every coach (youth to pro) and every parent of an athlete! After over 30 years of coaching volleyball (boys & girls) at the college, high school and Jr. Olympic levels, I wish I had read this book, earlier in my career!

Players who were coached by Dean Smith at the University of NC and John Wooden at UCLA are reverential in their respect for these two role models. After reading "Raising a Team Player" I bet Harry Sheehy's basketball alumni feel the same way about him.

This book is healthy blend of anecdotes and advice from one of Williams College's best basketball players. Watching a game coached by Sheehy is like a step back in time. Solid hustle, unselfish play and teamwork beyond compare were what you witnessed.

I am biased because I watched Sheehy as both a player and a coach. I marvel at his humility and his sense of concern for both his teammates and ulitmately, his players. His book captures the essence of an extrordinary athlete and human being. Don't miss it!