Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machi

[NoCheese]

Excuse me if a thread has already been posted on this book but I just put it down and felt compelled. Put in on your Xmas wish list if you haven't read it yet. Highly recommended for anyone who reads the board regularly or has a son/daughter playing at a competitive level in youth sports. It's a page turner.

http://www.amazon.com/Play-Their-Hearts-Out-Basketball/dp/0345508602

A review on ESPN
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/20558/play-their-hearts-out

[MauraDay]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm asking for it for Christmas.

[GOMU1104]

They had an excerpt from this book in SI a couple of weeks ago...was pretty solid. I'm waiting for it to appear under the tree.

While were on the subject of books, a couple  more that I reccommend.

-Sole Influence by Dan Wetzel and Don Yaeger...in depth look at the AAU hoops scene in the early 2000s.

-Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst, a career minor league pitcher...tells stories from his years in the minor league. Absolutely hilarious book. I have never cried from laughing so hard while reading a book, until I read this book this summer. Its also pretty deep, because of his psychological problems that he is dealing with. Great book.

[Jumping Jesuit]

You Gotta Have Wa by Robert Whiting is a pretty hilarious and interesting look at Japanese Baseball from an American perspective. The author did an excellent job of describing cultural differences, in general. I am not a baseball fan but couldn't put the book down.

[NoCheese]

Thanks for the other book suggestions.

I forgot to mention that at the end of the book there's a story about Crean offering a scholarship to one of the kids. The kid is quoted as having spoken to Crean directly and Crean telling him that he wanted him to be the "Dwyane Wade of Indiana". Just when the kid was preparing for a visit to verbally commit to Crean, the scholarship is redirected to another of the kid's team mates allegedly at the suggestion of the AAU coach. It's reported in the book that the father of the player who ultimately received the scholarship as being on the AAU coach's payroll. 

I also just finished ESPN's Buster Olney's book How Lucky You Can Be, The Story of Coach Don Meyer. http://www.amazon.com/How-Lucky-You-Can-Be/dp/034552411X
A great story about a passionate, dedicated coach, who values life lessons as much or more than instructions on the court.

You'd be hard pressed to find two basketball related books that paint such drastically different worlds. One story is inspirational and the other pathetic.

[CrazyEcho]

I really appreciate these book recommendations.  I read "You can Call Me Al" at the recommendation of some of the posters here and thought it was a great book. 

[StillWarriors]

I know Hurley is not a favorite of this group and it has been recommended here before, but Miracle at St. Anthony is a great hoops read.