Regis Tremblay’s Baker’s Dozen Best Books

These top books are the ones that have made a significant contribution to the dialogue on organized youth sports. They are my own favorites, and the ones I think are the most significant. If you are going to read anything, read these first.

1. Andersonn, Christopher. (2000) Will You Still Love Me If I Don’t Win? Texas: Taylor.

This book is a “Must Read” for every parent whether you have a child in sports or not. This book is about giving our children the understanding, love, and support they need. The only book of its kind. You will re-read, underline, highlight, and dog-ear this book.

2. Elkind, David. (1982) The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon.

Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. Written in 1982, this book is a classic and a must read for every parent, teacher, coach, and anyone working with kids. David Elkind is a child psychologist, former chairman of the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study at Tufts University, and father of three.

This book is FANTASTIC. Elkind writes, “today’s child has become the unwilling, unintended victim of overwhelming stress – the stress born of rapid, bewildering social change and constantly rising expectations. (He was writing in 1982!!!!) The contemporary parent dwells in a pressure-cooker of competing demands, transitions, role changes, personal and professional uncertainties, over which he or she exerts slight direction.”

Elkin says that we don’t mean to harm out children by hurrying them to grow up and treating them like adults, but as a society we have come to believe that it is actually good for kids to mature rapidly. He believes that we do our children great harm by hurrying them through childhood.

In this book, Elkind focuses primarily on the pressure to start school early, but we could also add their introduction to organized youth sports and the pressure to specialize at an early age. These pressures have forced fundamental changes in family life and childhood, and have caused long-term effects on generations of children forced to learn and compete before they are ready. While Elkind does not focus on the role that organized youth sports plays in this process, I could not help see it on every page. The professional model of sports we impose on children from pre-school through high school is responsible for enormous and undue stress on every child.

The fact that 70% of kids quit organized youth sports by age 15 is an indication that they don’t like the experience. Their reasons point clearly to the fact that they don’t like the pressure from overbearing parents and out-of-control, win-at-all-costs coaches who take the fun out of it. Forcing kids to make work out of play in the pursuit of bragging rights, championships, scholarships, and fame only adds pressure to childhood by forcing them to grow up too fast and too soon.

3. Gerdy, John, Ph.D. Editor (2002) Sports in School.

NY: Teachers College Press, Columbia University. John Gerdy and the contributors of this book have taken dead aim at the myths who hold about the positive role sport plays in education. These essays are based on scientific studies and years of experience, yet they are lively and very readable.

4. Gerdy, John, Ph.D. (2002) Sports: The All-American Addiction. MS: University of Mississippi Press.

John Gerdy shows how far removed sport has become from its origins and how it is corrupting every level of society. Gerdy addresses all of the significant issues and cries out for reform at every level of the sports pyramid. Gerdy’s work is far and away the most significant contribution on the influence of sport on our society.

5. Bigelow, Bob, Moroney, T., Hall, L. (2001) Just Let The Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Childs Fun and Success in Youth Sports.

FL: Health Communications. Bob Bigelow is one of the “icons” in the youth sports reform movement! A first-round draft pick who played four years in the NBA, Bob speaks with authority, passion, and humor about all of the critical issues. This is one of the first books I read on the subject, and one I go back to often.

Whenever Bob calls on the phone, I find myself laughing hysterically listening to him find humor in what we adults have done to the kids. Bob speaks to groups across the country and still finds time to conduct basketball clinics. It seems that everybody knows Bob Bigelow, and Bob knows everyone. Get to know Bob by reading this great book. It is and will remain in my top ten list of best books.

6. Kralovec, Etta. (2003) Schools That Do Too Much. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

One of the first books to challenge the way time and money are spent in our schools. Etta Kralovec takes a radical look at the way we spend what we have. Etta is a former classroom teacher and professor of education and director of teacher education at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine.

This books argues that time and money are systematically misspent in American Schools. Chapter 4 takes a hard look at interscholastic athletics and makes a strong case for scaling back the huge investment schools make in sports showing that we are rarely made aware of the real costs that sports represent and of the small percentage of students they really serve.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned with inadequate funding of educational priorities, deplorably low teacher salaries, zero based budgeting, interscholastic sports, and the “fragmented, almost irrational shape of a typical school day.”

This book is easy to read, clear, focused, and encourages serious dialogue around many viable alternatives.

7. Kindlon, Dan, and Thompson, Michael. (2002) Raising Cain: Protecting The Emotional Life of Boys. NY: Ballentine Books.

Written by two leading psychologists, this book reveals a nation of boys who are hurting, sad, afraid, angry, and silent. They point out the forces that threaten boys, debunk outdated theories which prevent us from understanding them, and shed light on the destructive emotional training our boys receive.

The authors argue that emotional literacy is the most valuable gift we can offer our sons, urging parents to recognize the price boys pay when we hold them to an impossible standard of manhood. They identify the social and emotional challenges that boys encounter in school and show how parents and other adults (coaches and teachers) can help them navigate the social pressures of youth.

I love this book as did millions of others who made it a New York Times Bestseller. I loved it because I am a father of two sons, a teacher, and a coach. This book ranks so high in my list of Best Books because much of the stereotyping and harm to boys happens in sports at the hands of over overbearing parents and misguided coaches.

8. Gladwell, Michael. (2000) The Tipping Point:How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.

Boston: Little, Brown and Company. The Tipping Point is an epidemiological term that refers to the moment in time when diseases become epidemic. This book is a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message – that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world. Gladwell is a brilliant, enthusiastic, and compelling author, formerly a science writer at the Washington Post, and currently on staff at The New Yorker.

The Center For Kids FIRST In Sports is a catalyst for change and reform in organized youth sports. This book explains how cultures change and how new ideas take hold and spread like epidemics. The message for reformers of youth sports and advocates of change is that a few passionate believers can take off, reach critical mass – The Tipping Point - and bring about rapid, dramatic change.

We highly recommend this book to school administrators, teachers, parents and other adults in search of how to change and improve the way we organize and conduct sports for kids. Placing the needs of kids FIRST is that single, seminal idea that can start an epidemic of change within our culture.

This book is easy to read and very entertaining as well. Gladwell is an imaginative and inspiring writer who has an infectious enthusiasm for the power and joy of new ideas. Read this book! It will help you understand the underlying principles behind the Kids FIRST In Sports Blueprint for Change process.

9. Arnold, Ed. Whose Puck Is It, Anyway? (2002) NY: McClelland & Stewart Ltd.

Ed Arnold is the managing editor of The Peterborough (Ontario, Canada) Examiner and a youth hockey coach. This book is relevant and timely because it chronicles the efforts of one man who decided it was time to make a change. He wanted to give the game back to the kids. He wanted them to learn the fundamentals of the game but he also wanted them to have fun.

He got some pretty mighty support from two former NHL players, goalie Greg Millen and forward Steve Larmer who joined him behind the bench in one of Canada’s hotbeds of competitive hockey.

This is a terrific “blueprint” for any coach who wants to do it right! Lots of great ideas and approaches that can be easily implemented. Arnold doesn’t preach. He just tells what he did and why. This is a wonderful example of what one coach can do to restore the balance and fun to youth sports. When professional athletes say the following things, its about time we started listening. The book ends with this quote by Steve Larmer.

“I think we, as adults, control the game way too much…there is unnecessary overlap in seasons…We should be encouraging our kids to play different sports. Without meaning to, we put pressure on our kids to commit either to winter or summer sports. The people who run these sports should get together and define their seasons so the kids can play what they want. There could even be some down time between them so the kids could get some rest.”

“Are our coaches using the kids to promote their own careers or are they there to help all of the kids all of the time? Are our coaches buckling to the pressure of parents who demand winning teams, because they imagine that their son will play in the NHL? The good players will make it no matter what. We have a responsibility to the 99 per cent who won’t.”

This should make every coach and parent want to read this book.

10. Thompson, Jim. (1995) Positive Coaching. CA: Warde Publishers.

Jim Thompson is the founder of the Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University. Jim has done an excellent job of articulating what coaching should be. This book is not about all that is wrong with youth sports. It isn’t about statistics. This book is from the heart and a common sense approaching to teaching kids.

I liked this book because of the central ideas about how influential sports are in terms of building self-esteem in children, that every child can be a winner, and that the only thing that works is “relentless positivity.” Of course, I love the underlying foundational idea that coaches can be the most influential teachers a child will ever have. His explanation of the learning process, teachable moments, and placing the needs of children first make this book worth reading for anyone involved in teaching kids: parents, coaches, and teachers.

There is so much that makes this book great, but the 9 page chapter on “Learning from Losing” is terrific. Read this book. It’s the one I was going to write! Jim Thompson is making a real difference with his grassroots movement, the Positive Coaching Alliance.

11. Engh, Fred. (1999) Why Johnny Hates Sports.

NY: Avery Publishing Group. Fred Engh has been an advocate for reform and the certification of youth coaches for over 30 years. He is the “granddaddy” of youth sports activists. This book is packed with keen insights, wonderful anecdotes, and countless great ideas for improving the world of youth sports.

12. Murphy, Shane. (1999) The Cheers and The Tears.

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Shane Murphy is a sport psychologist who provides practical help for parents who want to make their child’s participation in youth sports happy and successful. He also offers healthy alternatives to the competitive and stressful side of youth sports.

13. Yeager, John M., et. al. (2001) Character and Coaching.

NY: Dude Publishing. The first book that takes a very similar (to Kids FIRST) “process oriented” approach to improving sports. Contains a great section on views, values, and virtues. Not only for coaches, but highly recommended for all. Numerous good tools and practical examples.

14. Walsh, David, Ph.D. (1990) Designer Kids.

Minneapolis: Deaconess Press. Dave Walsh presents a highly readable and informative discussion about the effects of Consumerism and Competition on kids. He asks, “When is it all too much?” A must read book for parents, teachers, and concerned adults.

15. Walsh, David, Ph.D. (1994) Selling Out American’s Children: How America Puts Profits Before Values and What Parents Can Do.

Minneapolis: Fairview Press (Formerly Deaconess). The title says it all. Dave examines the exploitation of kids by media, sports, and advertising and provides practical advice on what we can do. He explains why morals and values are missing in today’s youth. “We sell violence, irresponsible sex, materialism, and sports to our children with the overwhelming power of modern media: in light of such odds, it is not surprising that parents find it difficult to counteract society’s harmful messages.

16. Jackson, Phil. (1995) Sacred Hoops.

NY: Hyperion. This is probably my favorite. It has been at the top of my Baker’s Dozen List of Best Books since it was published. It isn't because I like basketball, because I don't! I liked Michael Jordan in Space Jam, and marveled at his final shot to win his last championship, but this book isn't about the world's most recognizable face. This book is my favorite because it is a deep, clear and pure expression of singleness of purpose with so many valuable lessons that everyone who "coaches" others just has to learn or forever be satisfied with mediocrity and mindless activity.

Phil Jackson is not only a great basketball coach, but a deep person who is in touch with the really important things in life! You must buy this book for your very own. Read it, re-read it, and never put it away on a shelf!

When I read this book I was amazed to discover how much of what I believe and built into the Kids FIRST philosophy Phil Jackson had put into practice in his world. I was also "stunned" that a former jock and coach could write a book of such substance and insight. Shame on me!

The book begins with a great quote: "The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up." In Chapter 1, Jackson drops so many little "nuggets" that you worry there will be little else to follow. Here is one that applies to everyone, everywhere, all of the time. Jackson says: "A great player can only do so much on his own - no matter how breathtaking his one-on-one moves. If he is out of synch psychologically with everyone else, the team will never achieve the harmony needed to win a championship." He goes on to say: "Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the "me" for the "we."

Right here in Chapter 1, Jackson put his finger on two of the most important truths about any organization wanting to achieve anything great. 1) Everyone matters, and everyone must be in synch with everyone else. 2) Greatness comes when people trust each other and can put away their egos and hidden agendas to become a team.

Chapter 6 got me really excited. The Eagle's View is all about Vision Development, a huge part of organizational change, improvement, and a key element of Kids FIRST In Sports. Jackson talks about vision like a consultant, only much more convincingly. I absolutely love this quote and have turned it into a poster and transparency I use when helping my people understand what visions are. Jackson learned it from his beloved Lakota Souix. "Vision is the source of Leadership, the expansive dream state where everything begins and all is possible."

Jackson created a vivid picture in his mind of what the Bulls could become. It was lofty, but not unrealistic, and included not only what he wanted to achieve, but how he was going to get there. You've got to read this chapter to fully understand the magnificent power of visions and the affect they have on people.

The moral of this whole chapter is this: Visions are never the sole property of one man or one woman. Before a vision can become reality, every single member of the group must own it. In basketball, with the Bulls, the important thing was to let everybody touch the ball so they wouldn't feel like spectators. Is there a message here for those of us in youth sports and business?

The system (Jackson's "Triangle Offense") is the starting point. "Without it, the players would never have developed the "think power" Michael Jordan talks about or learned to create something as a group that transcended the limits of their own imaginations."

At the core of his vision was letting the players think more for themselves. If the players were going to learn the offense, they would have to have the confidence to make decisions on their own. Why does this make so much sense for a professional basketball team, and none whatsoever for youth teams? Jackson says that it would never happen if they were constantly searching for answers from him. (The whole point of another great book: The Flight of the Buffalo) He wanted them to disconnect themselves from him, so they could connect with each other and the game. To reach this point, Jackson had to give the players the freedom to find out what worked and what didn't, within the system.
You've just got to read the piece about the "Sacred Circle" which symbolized how the Bulls were forming their own relationships as members of something "sacred." Basketball - sacred? Read this, and you won't think of it as such a stretch.

Important Resources

In Alphabetical Order, all of the books that I recommend reading….but only after you read the Baker’s Dozen FIRST!

Andersonn, Christopher. (2000) Will You Still Love Me If I Don’t Win? Texas: Taylor.

Arnold, Ed. Whose Puck Is It, Anyway? (2002) NY: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. Ed

Bigelow, Bob, Moroney, T., Hall, L. (2001) Just Let The Kids Play. FL: Health Communications.

Bouton, Jim. (1970, 1981,1990) Ball Four. NY: Macmillan.

Burnett, Darrell J. (1993, 2001) It’s Just a Game. Lincoln. NE: Authors Choice Press.

Elkind, David. (1982) The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.

Engh, Fred (1999) Why Johnny Hates Sports. NY: Avery Publishing Group.

Geist, Bill. (1992,97) Little League Confidential. NY: Random House.

Gerdy, John. Editor (2002) Sports in School. NY: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

Gerdy, John. (2002) Sports: The All-American Addiction. MS: University of Mississippi Press.

Gladwell, Michael. (2000) The Tipping Point. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.

Jackson, Phil. (1995) Sacred Hoops. NY: Hyperion.

Kindlon, Dan, and Thompson, Michael. (2002) Raising Cain: Protecting The Emotional Life of Boys. NY: Ballentine Books.

Kralovec, Etta. (2003) Schools That Do Too Much. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Murphy, Shane. (1999) The Cheers and The Tears. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Robinson, Laura. (1998) Crossing The Line. Toronto: McClelland & Steward Inc.

Russell, Bill & Taylor Branch. (1979) Second Wind. NY: Ballentine Books.

Thompson, Jim. (1995) Positive Coaching. CA: Warde Publishing.

Waitley, Dennis. (1979) The Psychology of Winning. NY: Berkley Books in arrangement with Nightingale-Conant Corp. 1984.

Waitley, Dennis (1985) The Seeds of Greatness: The 10 Best Kept Secrets of Total Success. NY:

Waitley, Dennis (1985) The Winner’s Edge

Walsh, David (1990) Designer Kids. Minneapolis: Deaconess Press.

Walsh, David (1994) Selling Out America’s Children. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Wolf, Michael J. (1999) The Entertainment Economy. NY: Times Books.

Wolff, Rick. (1997) Good Sports. Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

Wooden, John. (1988) They Call Me Coach John Wooden. Chicago: Contemporary Books.

Yeager, John M., et. al. (2001) Character and Coaching. NY: Dude Publishing.

Studies:

Ewing, M.E., & Seefeldt, V. (1991). Participation and attrition patterns in American agency-sponsored and interscholastic sports. East Lansing: Michigan State University, Institute for the Study of Youth Sports.

Ewing, M.E., Seefeldt, V., & Brown, T. (1997). The role of organized sport in the education of children and youth. New York: Carnegie Corporation.

Howard, D.R. (1992) Participation rates in selected sport and fitness activities. Journal of Sports Management 6 (3), 191-205.

Micheli, L.J., & Jenkins, M.D. (1990) Sportswise: An essential guide for young athletes, parents and coaches. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

National Sporting Goods Association. (1995) Sports participation in1994. Mt. Prospect, IL: Author.