The inspirational true story of a high school football coach who motivates and encourages ordinary kids to do extraordinary things on and off the field He’s called simply “Coach.” But Louie Cook of Notre Dame High School in Crowley, Louisiana, is much more than that. He’s a father figure to his players, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or religion; the mentor players can turn to for discerning advice; the man students and parents go to for comfort in challenging times; and most of all, a caring leader with a servant’s heart. Coach of a Lifetime: The Story of Lewis Cook Jr., Legendary High School Football Coach recounts the inspiring, selfless path Cook has traveled as a football coach and, more importantly, as a leader in a small Louisiana town. While other high school coaches have won more games and sent more players to the NFL, none have proven better at developing the raw talents of high school kids from a handful of farming communities and turning them into champions on the football field and in life. The story of Louie Cook is about much more than football. It’s about developing and motivating young people, about putting faith and family ahead of wins and losses, and about building relationships that will last a lifetime. Cook may be one of the winningest high school coaches in the nation, but he will be the first to tell you, “Winning isn’t everything; winning the right way is.”

In May 1981, R. Timothy McCrum had just finished his first year of law school. Although, he had no full-time job or tangible prospects, he did have a fiancé who believed in him. In love and filled with optimism, McCrum and his new bride, Andrea, boarded a plane in Pittsburgh and headed to Oregon to create a new life together, never envisioning that twenty-four years later, they would build a beautiful log vacation home on the same Pennsylvania lake where they honeymooned. In a fascinating retelling of his life story, McCrum details his law career based in the nation’s capital from the Ronald Reagan administration through the Trump era as he practiced both in public service and with a major law firm. He reveals insights into dozens of cases from the unique perspective of a lawyer who battled the federal government and environmental activist groups at all levels of the federal courts. McCrum also describes the blessings of family life and the challenges of balancing his demanding career obligations with that family life, his personal travels, and how his Catholic faith was reawakened later in his career. Cases, Battles, and Blessings of a Lifetime shares the life story of a seasoned Washington, DC, attorney that highlights his forty years of legal battles, his family life, and his Catholic faith.

Imagine a book that has: Domestic violence, child abuse, drug addicts, failed relationships, foster care, childhood rebellion, things that we call defeat. Life will take you on a roller coaster ride but the great thing is that God is in control. Through all the good or bad, ups and downs of life, we have victory in Jesus Christ.

The “compelling . . . detailed and thoughtful account” of the rise and fall of the Cosmos, New York’s first superstar soccer team (Kirkus Reviews). In the summer of 1977, soccer was poised to finally conquer America and the New York Cosmos were the premier sports team of the city. They boasted the greatest roster of the world’s best players—notably, Brazil’s international sensation Pelé—ever assembled for any sport. For a time, they were the darlings of the press. Their first game was televised in twenty-two different countries. They were favorites at Studio 54. They partied behind the velvet ropes with Andy Warhol and Mick Jagger. Less a growing sports phenom than a pop-culture happening, the hottest ticket in town drew the likes of Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Henry Kissinger, and Robert Redford. Warner Brothers chairman and Cosmos owner Steve Ross may not have known a goalkeeper from a zookeeper, but in a city awash in celebrity and decadence, Ross knew spectacle. He also knew how to make a dollar, and stars. But as the Cosmos players soon became enmeshed in a world of millionaires, gangsters, groupies, glamour, power struggles, alcoholic excess, drugs, disco and very public fistfights, they were set for a heartbreaking and inevitable fall. “Colorful and keen . . . [and] detail-rich, this unlikely drama of a quintessentially American flirtation” (Publishers Weekly), “is a gripping evocation of a glorious but brief moment when the beautiful game had the US entranced” (Time Out London).

This narrative about two boys from different backgrounds touches on family, forgiveness, sport, and making peace with tragedy. Dan Snyder was not a sure thing in professional hockey, but defied expectations—playing for both the minor league's Chicago Wolves and the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. Dany Heatley, on the other hand, had been tapped for success from the start as a college star and high draft pick. The two made an unlikely pair, but became friends. In September of 2003, the then 22-year-old Heatley lost control of his speeding Ferrari; Snyder was thrown from the vehicle and died six days later. The loss of their teammate, friend, and son sent those who knew Snyder looking for healing or revenge. As the legal story unfolds, so too does a story of forgiveness, rooted in the Canadian Mennonite tradition from which Snyder hailed. Snyder's family, taking an approach to their loss dictated by their faith, chose to make peace with both Heatley and his parents. This story of forgiveness reveals a lesson in loss, hope, and peace in the face of tragedy.

For millions of Americans, the experiences they had serving in World War II changed their lives forever. For author E. Bruce Heilman, military service played a pivotal role in launching a distinguished career in higher education administration. In his new memoir, An Interruption That Lasted a Lifetime: My First Eighty Years, he describes his Kentucky childhood, his eye-opening years as a Marine and the challenges and rewards of serving as a successful university administrator.

The key to successful coaching is preparing your players to make intelligent decisions on the field. For years, the best-selling Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer has helped coaches of every level do just that. Now, soccer’s premier coaching resource has been updated and expanded to provide you with more insights into developing individual talent, team tactics, and winning play. Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer provides you with over 125 drills for teaching skills and techniques. You’ll also learn how to develop these skills in realistic game situations with beginning, intermediate, advanced, and all-star players. Essential skills are presented, including collecting and controlling, passing, dribbling, kicking, heading, and goalkeeping. You’ll then apply those individual skills with attacking and defensive tactics, team formations, and set pieces. With Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer, you’ll learn the what, how, and why of soccer through these essentials: Over 125 drills for beginning, intermediate, advanced, and all-star players Progressing basic drills into realistic, competitive situations Tactics in attack and defense Tactics in set plays Team management Mental and physical preparation for games Handling problem players and parents Fitness and conditioning Preparing and developing coaching sessions Establishing a coaching philosophy Skills & Strategies for Coaching Soccer is an invaluable guide for coaching any team in any setting. The best team doesn’t always win—but it usually does.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER "I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs."--John Wooden Evoking days gone by when coaches were respected as much for their off-court performances as for their success on the court, Wooden presents the timeless wisdom of legendary basketball coach John Wooden. In honest and telling passages about virtually every aspect of life, Coach shares his personal philosophy on family, achievement, success, and excellence. Raised on a small farm in south-central Indiana, he offers lessons and wisdom learned throughout his career at UCLA, and life as a dedicated husband, father, and teacher. These lessons, along with personal letters from Bill Walton, Denny Crum, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bob Costas, among others, have made Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and off the Court an inspirational classic.

ONE COACHS JOURNEY FROM EAST TO WEST: HOW THE FALL OF THE IRON CURTAIN CHANGED THE WORLD OF GYMNASTICS Until the fall of the Soviet Union the West and the Communists were engaged not only in a heated arms race but a race for Olympic gold, and Moscow poured tremendous resources into the effort, attracting some of the country's greatest minds. Author Vladimir Zaglada provides a look inside some of the Soviet Unions gymnastics think tanks, such as the Moscows Lenin Institute. One Coach's Journey from East to West also introduces us to some of the brilliant and colorful figures that have advanced the art of gymnastics and examines how the flood of coaching talent into the West has shifted the "balance of power." The force of this "flood" has been somewhat impeded by cultural and language barriers, which are also discussed in the book. "Hot topics" such as the relentless increase in the difficulty level of artistic gymnastics are also discussed and a number of technical issues are covered, complete with illustrations. Zaglada provides a rare look inside the world of Soviet gymnastics at its height and provides information never before published in English. Did the machinery that cranked out Soviet gymnastics champions allow for a happy childhood? Why has the balance of power in gymnastics shifted in America's favor but will Russia retake the throne? The rigid line between "amateurs" (who are true professionals in almost all senses of the word) and professionals is the "amateur" in "amateur gymnastics sacred? Is there an ideal physique for women's gymnastics? How much of current American coaching practice can be traced back to Soviet sports institutes? Ever heard of the "profile system"? What is the difference between an Arabian, an Onodi, and a Mostepanova? Why a few basic terms are constant sources of confusion. How effective was the system of incentives for Soviet gymnasts and coaches? How did the nomenklatura system of privileges and patronage impact Soviet gymnastics?