Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership [Paperback]

Jim Thompson (Author), Phil Jackson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998

Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership by Jim Thompson is a philosophical account of the author's two-year tenure coaching a high school girls basketball team in Northern California. The book also draws content from topics in leadership theory and a course co-taught by the author at the Stanford School of Business called Learning to Lead. The overall result is a unique journey into the world of coaching. The book features a Foreword by Phil Jackson, Head Coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Coaching styles and techniques have evolved significantly since the militant days of Vince Lombardi and Woody Hayes. No longer can coaches gain respect and effort from players by yelling "My way or the highway," writes NBA coach and Zen master Phil Jackson in Shooting's foreword. "This new type of coach is one whose leadership is trusted because he shares it with his players." Jim Thompson tests this theory--and others, to varying degrees of success--throughout his two-year stint as coach of a Northern California girls' high school basketball team.

Skillfully weaving how-to coaching techniques and a diary containing his inner thoughts (and, at times, obsessions) with the progress of the Fremont Women Warriors, Thompson's philosophical and motivational account exposes the multilayered dynamics of the player-coach relationship. As the coach explains the value of "Encouraging Players to Disagree," or "The Art of Celebrating Practice," he shows how the Women Warriors respond to such techniques. After a lopsided loss to an inferior team, Thompson rips the Warriors for a lackluster effort. But, thanks to their share-the-leadership philosophy, the team suggests they update their antiquated Flex offense. At first, Thompson fears mutiny, but then he realizes that "sharing power increases your own power in the sense that the likelihood of success is greater when you create a partnership."

Coaches will appreciate the wealth of practical and light-hearted tips, such as "Drills with Consequences," "Creating a Team Vocabulary," and "Motivational Speeches." And readers will find themselves rooting for the inspirational Woman Warriors. But it's Shooting in the Dark's ability to blend these insights and intimate stories that will light even the darkest of gymnasiums. --Rob McDonald

From Library Journal

For every successful coach or manager who chooses to relate some prized winning strategies to the business world (e.g., Rick Pitino in Success Is a Choice, Broadway, 1997), there is often the flip side, the prominent executive or motivational expert willing to apply his or her methods to the athletic arena. In this case, it is Thompson, an instructor at the Stanford School of Business and author of Positive Coaching (Warde, 1995), who recounts his experiences coaching a high school girls' basketball team over a two-year span. His advice to coaches at all levels is to form partnerships with players, an idea that places a premium on goal-setting and power-sharing. Toward this end, he concludes each chapter with "take-aways," i.e., recommended steps to facilitate the partnership process. Coaches seeking ways to build a rapport with today's athletes should find this chronicle instructive. Recommended for public libraries.?William H. Hoffman, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., FL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: Warde Publishers (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886346046
• ISBN-13: 978-1886346048
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #529,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An important tool in understanding leadership..., May 1, 2000

By 

J Brendan Wood - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership (Paperback)

This book will challenge much of what you might have already learned/experienced as an athlete and/or coach, especially with respect to certain sports, such as football. Although Mr. Thompson's book is centered on his experiences while coaching high school girls basketball for two seasons, his lessons pervade beyond the gym. The chapters pertaining to sharing power with players (or students, or employees) and visualization are particularly strong. He weaves in relevant and occasionally humorous analogies and anecdotes (often in the format of diary entry interludes) in cementing key concepts. Do not bother reading this book if you remain steadfast in your admiration for Bobby Knight's coaching style, as this book's message is more in tune with Phil Jackson's (he even wrote the foreword). Enjoy!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Coaching Book, March 6, 2011

By 

Thomas Cloud Jr. "Honest Reviewer" (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership (Paperback)

I learned so much from this book about managing a team and being a positive coach. Great ideas to apply to your coaching. I definitely recommend it.