The Miracle of St. Anthony by Adrian Wojnarowski
The story of St. Anthony basketball is an incredible tale that covers so many different layers. St. Anthony's in New Jersey is a school on the brink of financial ruin in a neighborhood mired by decay and crime. Upon entering there is a that reads "You are entering a special and safe place. The streets stop here". Unfortunately for some, these students needed a little assistance. Enter Bob Hurley. Coach Hurley works miracles in this little brick school house. His endless work to keep the school from closing and coaching a national basketball power is profiled in this book.
This book follows the St. Anthony's basketball season for a season with Coach Hurley's most dysfunctional team. I didn't know much about him but one thing I did know was that he was a bit of a hard ass. One of his former players said, "I know if I can get through St. Anthony with Coach Hurley, I can get through anything". His response for riding his players so hard, "If a coach doesn't yell at you, he probably doesn't care about you". On top of the 30+ basketball games his team played, his biggest challenge was to get these boys to understand how important it is to amount to something in life. To separate yourself from the crowd and to be special. It is what every coach wants for his players: to turn them into champions on and off the court. This is a good read for anyone (especially those in the coaching profession).
Coaching Wrestling Successfully by Dan Gable.
Dan Gable is the greatest coach off all-time...in any sport! His record speaks for itself: 15 NCAA Championships, 21 Big Ten Championships, an overall record of 355-21-5 (That is winning 93% of the time), and coached numerous Olympic Gold Medalist. Anytime you get an opportunity to read something by someone who is the best in their profession, you do it. Many coaches tried to study his methods and find out his secret's. Gable's training method has been the secret to his success- outwork them all. Talent is everywhere in this world but a winning attitude is not. Coach Gable strives to teach his wrestlers how to work hard.
If you aren't a wrestling coach I would not buy this book. But if you are interested in the man, read this article.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This was the most interesting book of the bunch. It is a story of modern medicine meets ethics. The year is 1951 and the story involves a tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks. After a visit to the doctor and Johns Hopkins Hospital, she learned that she had malignant cancer in her cervix. Treatment was started and cell tissues were taken...without her knowledge. The samples were labeled HeLa (abbreviated from Henrietta Lacks). From there these cells were cultured and they became the first tissue sample that continued to grow on their own. Before this, tissue was used from healthy cells and the cells would die shortly after. HeLa cells continued to grow and demand for them went soaring. Scientists were interested in running tests on these mass produced HeLa cells and were willing to pay a price. All the while her family had no clue that all this was going on. They had no idea her cells were used to find a polio vaccine or used in cancer research. Henrietta's cells were being sold and yet her family could not even afford doctor visits. Great book, add it to your holiday wish list!
We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Iraqi People by Peter Van Buren
Sun Tzu: Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
Peter Van Buren was part of a reconstruction team in Iraq set to improve the quality of life in Iraq. He loved the warrior but hated the war that we were in. His mission was to use his team to create ways to improve Iraq. The problem was this: just because something worked in America, doesn't mean it would work elsewhere. Van Buren discusses various projects that his team attempted to improve and the vaste amounts of money spent on these projects. The major decisions were made by individuals sitting in an office and not out in the desert sweating with the locals. It was a so so book, had to take a break from it because it got to be a bit excessive.
Relax Into Stretch by Pavel Tsatsouline
Another informative read by my favorite Russian author. This book gives great explanations on the benefits of stretching, better techniques to use while stretching and how to maximize each and every stretch. The basic premise: the most obvious way to control muscle tension is to relax. Next time you perform a stretch remember this and enjoy the outcome. This book offers great stretches and a few techniques to "trick" your muscles into a new muscle length. If flexibility is an issue, this book could be an eye-opener.
Chris Fluck, CSCS
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