coaching (athletics)

In a small Iowa town in 1952, eleven-year-old Charlie Nebraska, whose father died in the Korean War, learns the meaning of both racism and heroism when he befriends Luther Peale, a young man who once played for the old Negro Baseball League.

The author investigates what makes a great coach and how coaches create successful, coherent teams by questioning coaches active in professional and college football and basketball.

When the coach's son, Shawn O'Brien, is chosen to play quarterback, eleven-year-old Ben McBain is not surprised--but when he tries to be a good teammate and help the inconsistent Shawn, he is startled to learn that his new friend does not really want the position.

When the coach of her championship softball team asks Raisa Kumar to teach a new recruit, Annie, how to pitch she is eager to help, especially since she hopes to be a coach herself someday; but when the team's other pitcher turns up with a broken arm, teaching Annie takes on a new urgency--and Raisa's efforts at coaching seem to be frustrating Annie rather then helping her.

When Ben and Logan go to a recreation center to practice basketball with more experienced players in hopes of getting on the freshman team, they meet Hud, who could be the perfect point guard if he is willing to listen to the coach.

The former college basketball coach describes his life and provides personal philosophies for success and achievement.

Julian Pryce, who used to be the star center for the Tornadoes basketball team, is forced to sit on the bench when his family moves and the new school team already has a starting center, Paul Boyd, who ends up in the hospital after Julian takes extreme measures.

Sixteen-year-old Salvador "Slam" Amaro signs on as assistant coach of the girls' basketball team hoping to pad his resume to win a spot on the Ontario Under 17 men's team, but the job gets complicated when the head coach and the star point guard go missing, leaving him to solve the mystery and lead the team to victory.

Photographs and simple text describe the work done by sports coaches.