Books for coaches to read

[Tom Molloy]

This is a letter that Dean Holden sent this morning with suggestions for coach reading. Dean coaches at a Junior High School Hockey Canada Skills Academy, runs his own High School Sports Performance program, does coach development / evaluation for Hockey Alberta and private mentoring.

“I thought I would some of the book titles I am reading this month. There may be some possible Christmas gifts here!

"The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle. "Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin. Both are easy and enjoyable to read with some real-life examples that make you say ‘wow.’ Pop culture meets science. Both books get you thinking…

"Coaching Champions – Soccer Coaching in Italy" by Frank Dunne. It is an interesting coaching perspective with interviews with top age-group coaches from U11 to U21, in the Italian Azzurri club. There are some developmental / leadership lessons that can apply to hockey. It details how the best coaches in Italy run their club program. We should take the positives from their experiences and bring these back into our own programs.

"Whose Puck is it Anyway?" by Ed Arnold. Forward by Bob Gainey and Afterward by Steve Larmer. Should be a ‘must read’ for Minor Hockey coaches and those who care about the game. Real life chronicles from a minor hockey league season in Ontario.

"I'd Trade Him Again" by Peter Pocklington, Terry McConne and J'Lyn Nye. The history behind the decision that signalled the beginning of the dismantling of the Oilers core and ultimately helped enhance interest in hockey in California (and some say, the USA in general.)

"Leafs Abomination" by Dave Feschuk and Michael Grange and "Why the Leafs Suck" by Al Strachan. Both are timely titles for an Original Six franchise that has clearly lost its way. Reading between the lines, one can clearly see ‘what NOT to do’ and hopefully this advice can be put to use in a positive fashion. It remains to be seen if Brian Burke can turn things around.

'When the Lights Went Out" by Gare Joyce. An account of the 1987 Punch-up in Piestany. This one is more for pure enjoyment / hockey history. Timely as New Years means it’s time yet again for the World Junior Championships!

I also highly recommend another of Joyce’s books, "Future Greats and Heartbreaks”. One of my fascinations is with Talent ID and how can we do a better job of detecting it? It is the Billion Dollar Question! Here is one reader's comment on "Future Greats”: The reader is “… taken along in the Blue Jackets' war room for the 2006 NHL Draft and travels the junior hockey scouting world through the 2006-2007 NHL season. There are tons of interesting inside information, including a different view on Phil Kessel, the Russian prospects' situation and Akim Aliu."

"Think like a Champion" by Donald Trump, Meredith McIver and "Trump – the Way to the Top. The Best Business Advice I Ever Received" by Donald Trump. Any time you can gain insight into an entrepreneur like Trump, it is time well spent.

"Reallionaire" by Farrah Gray and Fran Harris. Truly an amazing story… a particularly good read if you need to be inspired. Gives you an appreciation for the ability of young kids to learn and understand; especially when they are motivated!

"Made to Stick – Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Good stuff. Turn the business angle into a coaching perspective for your players.

These books are best to get from a library (free) or order online through Indigo. It's way cheaper than buying them for full price from a Chapters store!

Finally, my highest recommendation goes to "Hockey Coaching ABC's: A program to develop the complete player" (BOOK 2) by Juhani Wahlsten and Tom Molloy. Tom gave me a copy a few years ago and I have read it cover-to-cover several times. It is the one book I consistently carry with me in my coaching bag. It has been highlighted, underlined and written in – something I don’t do in lesser tomes. This is the BEST hockey coaching book I have read to date. I consider it the modern Bible of hockey coaching; much like Anatolyi Tarasov considered “The Hockey Handbook” by Lloyd Percival (published in the 1951.)

“Originally published in 1951, and rejected at the time by one NHL coach as “the product of a three-year-old mind,” Lloyd Percival’s The Hockey Handbook went on to become an internationally recognized classic. Russian and European coaches seized on the book as the first authoritative, analytical treatment of hockey fundamentals and based their training regimes on the principles Percival described. The father of Russian hockey, Anatoli Tarasov, wrote to Percival: “Your wonderful book which introduced us to the mysteries of Canadian hockey, I have read like a schoolboy.” Now, nearly half a century later, The Hockey Handbook remains in a class by itself. It is the first book required by players or coaches at all levels of proficiency who are setting out to develop their own or their team’s hockey skills.”

Although I am friends with Tom, he didn't ask me to PR his book; nor am I receiving any kickbacks from recommending his book. This is an unsolicited comment. I have read thousands of books since I started coaching in 1986 and I truly believe it is THAT good! In my opinion, the use of small area games help players discover the right decisions to make in game-like conditions (random situations and under pressure.) This is the absolute best way to allow the players to develop their hockey sense; as opposed to ‘patterned drills’ which deny creativity and independent problem-solving. I have recommended to Hockey Alberta that this book should be part of the future curriculum manuals we hand out for our Development 1, Development 2 and High Performance 1 coaching courses.

Amazon has Book 1, but you want to order Book 2 directly from Tom as it has more information, drills and games than it’s predecessor (it has a black spiral-bound cover, not red like BOOK 1). It can be ordered from Tom's website (which is also full of good info) at: http://hockeycoachingabcs.com.
Tom can be reached at tommolly@hotmail.com

As a close second recommendation to Tom's book, I also highly recommend Bruce Brown's work (he has a number of CD's / DVD's / coaching pamphlets and does public speaking). Bruce is a former coach and Athletic Director in the Pacific Northwest. Bruce is all about teaching life lessons through sport and in my mind, that's what it should be all about. I HIGHLY recommend this stuff. I bought a bunch of it. It is great to be able to listen to one of his CD’s while you are driving. Bruce’s site is located at http://www.proactivecoaching.info/

Enjoy your holidays.

Dean

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'

[Eric Fink]

Dean,

I share your zeal for talent ID and would recommend for anyone else that is these.

This is a good article by Malcom Gladwell. I enjoy his writing style and this article he discusses why football QBs are so difficult to rate in the NFL.

http://www.gladwell.com/2008/2008_12_15_a_teacher.html

I also recommend the book that was talked about in "Future Greats and Heartbreaks" about famous baseball scout Tony Lucadello titled, "prohet of the Sandlots" by Mark Winegardner.

Any other books that people have read since this I would love to hear about them.

[hockeygod]

Eric,

Thanks for your article by Gladwell. I will check it out. I too enjoy his writing. I will also look for the "Prophets of the Sandlots" at the library.

"Moneyball" by Michael Lewis (2003) is a baseball book that discusses the use of statistics and the predictors of success. (I admit I had to slog through it as I am not a baseball fan; nor a big fan of statistics, in the slightest!)

If memory serves me right, one of the most important stats is about 'getting on base'. I know the NY Rangers used this book as inspiration to redesign their scouting system. Their operating procedures are a closely guarded secret and I am not privy to all the details. However, it will be interesting to see how they do in the draft over the next 5-10 years.

I have read another 75+ books since I posted this initial list. If I can find some time to list the best ones around Christmas again this year, I will do so.

I encourage other people to post their favourite books. Also, check out the "Articles" thread for some more good ones…

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[Aberdeen]

Just bought The Talent Code. Its a good book huh? Is this a book you would recommend 1st or is ther another one thats just as good?

[hockeygod]

Aberdeen,

"The Talent Code" is a great place to start!

I would recommend "Talent is Overrated" as a second book – Geoff Colvin.

Third, I would read "Bounce" by Matthew Syad.

With Malcolm Gladwell's trio of books ("The Tipping Point" and "Blink" ), "Outliers" is the one most closely related to expertise and would be a good fourth book to read.

Enjoy!

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[Aberdeen]

Thanks, Whats weird is this is the 1st year Im not coaching yet bought this book to help continue my coaching skills. Whatever “coaching” means.

[Eric Fink]

I have thought about "Moneyball" as a book to try to relate hockey too, but haven't been able to muster up the will to read it. It was discussed in "Three Nights in August", another baseball book that follows the Cardinals skipper around for a big series late in the year. Lou was the anti-moneyball according to the book.

"Drive" by Daniel Pink talks about motivation. Although you can probably save yourself a decent amount of time and just watch the video of his presentation on it.

It's not a book but http://www.ted.com is a fantastic website for people from all different backgrounds discuss the latest "ideas" and theories. Each presenter is limited to 15 minutes so you they pack it full of information. You can get lost on that site for weeks and learn so much. Great thinkers.

"The five dysfuntions of a team" is a good read as well that is in fable form.

[hockeygod]

Aberdeen wrote:
Thanks, Whats weird is this is the 1st year Im not coaching yet bought this book to help continue my coaching skills. Whatever “coaching” means.

I suspect you have the "coaching disease". It is blood born and usually genetically inherited. I promised my dad on his deathbed that I would leave coaching and get a "real job"… I tried to get treatment and get away from the game to detox, but after two years, I had to go back. It's like an addiction. I haven't done Meth, but I suspect coaching / hockey is THAT addictive.

Now I don't "coach a team" per se; but through my work in the skill academies; my work with Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta; all my reading and researching; my involvement with my mentor coaches; my evaluation and mentoring of other coaches… I am still very active in the trenches and in the pursuit of coaching / leadership knowledge. I have an open Mindset; am a student of the game; and know I am a lifelong learner!

I made a conscious decision to step away from the "team coaching" commitment and travel once we started to raise a family. It has been a great time to refresh my passion for coaching and one day when the kids get older, I hope to return to Major Junior or else go back to Europe…!

Enjoy your time away Aberdeen and continue to fuel your passion! You will be a better coach / person when you return! This time off is all about finding and replenishing balance… because at the higher levels, when you are coaching a team, it is tough to find balance of any kind…if you can find it, you are a better man than I!

Speaking of balance…. Friday night with a Blue Monk Barley Wine – able to watch the Flames (Shames) and the BlackHawks on HD… rather than on the road… I guess it is the next best thing… for now, this is balance… until I pull out the rye and get unbalanced!

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Eric wrote:
I have thought about "Moneyball" as a book to try to relate hockey too, but haven't been able to muster up the will to read it. It was discussed in "Three Nights in August", another baseball book that follows the Cardinals skipper around for a big series late in the year. Lou was the anti-moneyball according to the book.

"Drive" by Daniel Pink talks about motivation. Although you can probably save yourself a decent amount of time and just watch the video of his presentation on it.

It's not a book but http://www.ted.com is a fantastic website for people from all different backgrounds discuss the latest "ideas" and theories. Each presenter is limited to 15 minutes so you they pack it full of information. You can get lost on that site for weeks and learn so much. Great thinkers.

"The five dysfunctions of a team" is a good read as well that is in fable form.

Eric, Thanks for sharing. Moneyball was (for me – a person totally uninterested in baseball, even though I played it until grade 7) a tough slog. Learned a few things though… Can't say I will read "Three nights in August" – a baseball book – unless you HIGHLY recommend it. I would rather… drink beer and think deep thoughts. Or clean out the kitty litter. Hmmmm… something smells….

Check out "Win Forever" by Pete Carroll – the new Seattle NFL coach. (I would rather read a book from an NBA or NFL coach than baseball… other than freaky eye/hand coordination, it ain't a sport… when you can drink beer WHILE PLAYING and effectively play at a weight of 250+ lbs (right Cecil Fielder?), then it's a hobby… right darts?)

I will look up the Drive video to save myself some time as it is indeed precious with two kids, a wife and way too many other things going on (teaching hockey, reading, motorbikes, bicycles, beer, rye, etc!)

I will also check out this TED site you mention. Never heard of it but it sounds like another thing that warrants my attention.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Some "fun" books to read over Christmas:

The Final Call by Kerry Fraser.

Tough Guy by Bob Probert.

The Making of Slapshot by Jonathon Jackson

The Day I (almost) Killed Two Gretzky's by James Duthie

Don Cherry Part 2 by the MAN himself!

They Call Me Killer by Brian Kilrea and James Duthie

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[Eric Fink]

I'll have to check out some of these…

I would not highly recommend the "Three Nights in August." It is a good read and I have a better understanding of baseball and more respect for what the skipper in baseball actually does after reading it. But, you probably won't take a lot back to the rink with you after reading it.

[hockeygod]

Thanks for the review Eric. I probably will take a pass on this one after reading your comments. Blah is all I can say about baseball. Too slow moving for my liking!

I just picked up "The Genius in All of Us" by David Shenk (2010). Looks like a good one…!

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[Aberdeen]

I bought The Talent Code. There is an issue with it. They talk about myelin a lot and how deep practice can build more of it. “Nerve firings grow myelin, myelin controls impulse speed, and impulse speed is skill”.
But that’s not true. Myelin is created during fetal development and continues rapidly until age two which is why babies require high fat diet. Myelination continues more slowly through adolescence but there is nothing to be done to control it. And myelination has nothing to do with skill beyond the fact that it facilitates nerve communication which allows movement.

Neural firing has nothing to do with myelination. Neural firing is the electrical and chemical impulses jumping the synapse from one nerve cell to another. Schwann cells supply the myelin for peripheral neurons (arms, legs, etc.) and oligodendrocytes myelinate the CNS (brain, spinal cord).

The other side is there are diseases caused from a lack of myelin. If you could just grow it then there wouldn’t be diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

My wife is a medical writer and has case studies about this very topic.
—————————–
Aberdeen, interesting insight. You should write Daniel Coyle about this on his website and see what he has to say. I thought he explained how deep practice thickened the myelin. Ask him. I would be interested in the response.

[hockeygod]

Interesting x 2. I never thought to question the science but I should have. Would be interesting to hear Coyle and a medical professional discuss this…

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[Kai K]

Isn't here something about myelination ( my english is not for this kind of text)? At least he's the expert that Coyle uses in the Talent Code.

http://2007annualreport.nichd.nih.gov/snsdp.htm

And here's he's book:
http://theotherbrainbook.com/about.php

Kai

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