6 Books Every Coach Should Read. And Now You Have the Time.

With the high school sports season on hold, we have an opportunity to use this time to refresh, renew and reinvigorate. Reading is a great way to do that.

Here are six books I recommend to coaches– no matter your team or sport–to enhance your work or share with your team.

What’s on your Recommended Reading List?

You Win in the Locker Room First, by Jon Gordon and Mike Smith
This is a great read.

According to the book flap, Win in the Locker Room First explores, “the seven powerful principles that any business, school, organization, or sports team can adopt to revitalize their organization.
Step by step, the authors outline a strategy for building a thriving organization and provide a practical framework that give leaders the tools they need to create a great culture, lead with the right mindset, create strong relationships, improve teamwork, execute at a higher level, and avoid the pitfalls that sabotage far too many leaders and organizations.”

Inside Out Coaching, by Joe Ehrmann

A great book on transformational coaching.

From a description of the book, “Coaches have a tremendous platform, says Joe Ehrmann, a former Syracuse University All-American and NFL star. Perhaps second only to parents, coaches can impact young people as no one else can. But most coaches fail to do the teaching, mentoring, even life-saving intervention that their platform provides. Too many are transactional coaches; they focus solely on winning and meeting their personal needs. Some coaches, however, use their platform. They teach the Xs and Os, but also teach the Ys of life. They help young people grow into responsible adults; they leave a lasting legacy. These are the transformational coaches. These coaches change lives, and they also change society by helping to develop healthy men and women.”

Leading With the Heart, by Mike Krzyzewski
A foundation for the team culture that Coach K developed for the Duke basketball program.

From a description of the book, “Coach K talks about leadership-how you earn it, how you practice it, and how you use it to move your organization to the top. From the importance of trust, communication, and pride, to the commitment a leader must make to his team, this inspiring book is a must-read for anyone who loves college basketball-or who simply wants to win in any competitive environment today.

How Champions Think, by Dr. Bob Rotella
Dr. Rotella is the sports psychologist for the PGA Tour.

From the New York Times book review, ““Rotella’s philosophy is astonishingly simple . . . [and] probably owes more to Vince Lombardi than it does to Sigmund Freud. . . . Rotella has counseled a dozen athletic teams and organizations (the New Jersey Nets, for one), the employees of some twenty corporations—among them Merrill Lynch, General Electric, and Time Warner—and assorted individuals, including a tennis champion trying to make a comeback and a musician with a bad case of stage fright. . . . Though Rotella’s tips are undeniably useful, they cannot account for his success rate, which is phenomenal.”

Above the Line, by Urban Meyer

In this New York Times Bestseller, the head football coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes offers lessons in leadership and team-building.

Sometimes You Win Sometimes You Learn, by John C. Maxwell
A great writer on leadership. Maxwell also has an excellent website.

From a description of the book, “Dr. Maxwell provides a roadmap for winning by examining the eleven elements that constitute the DNA of learners who succeed in the face of problems, failure, and losses. Learning is not easy during down times, it takes discipline to do the right thing when something goes wrong.”

Learn more at inCourage, the ultimate resource for improving the culture of youth sports. Our engaging videos and informative educational resources are available, at no cost, to anyone who wants to redefine "success" in youth sports and create better communications and outcomes to keep kids happy, healthy and in the game.

Written by Steve Young. Steve is the Director of Athletics for the City School District of New Rochelle, NY.