A Peek Inside (Part 16)

Hello loyal readers,

Welcome to Part 16 of the Peek Inside series, a series that seems to have no end.  Each time I believe I've tapped my experience, another idea or fit of inspiration comes up.

I've started and restarted this blog post three or four times now, and so if you're reading this, then I've settled on this format.  

I have a book order coming today that I'm fairly excited about receiving.  This, combined with my post on working with and developing assistant coaches, got me thinking about books that have influenced my development as a coach.  One of the things I do tell younger coaches or coaches I've mentored is that they should seek out books from other coaches.  What books do those coaches like, and why?  

Obviously building a library isn't necessarily cheap, and you need to have room.  Kindle is always an option, but if you look back at my post on how I read books, the digital format isn't my cup of tea.  

Two things I tell younger coaches.

1.  Find out what books your mentors or coaches you admire have on their shelves, and look into them.  Read them but read them for yourself meaning pull out what you find valuable.  Just like training, copy/paste isn't going to do you much good if you don't understand it or if you're liking it simply because someone you respect likes it.

2.  Once its written and published, its set in stone.  One hundred years from now, the book or books you have will remain exactly the same.  No book ever written or waiting to be written will be able to cover all the situations that you find yourself in.  Sport is organic and it is always evolving - despite what some old types would like to believe - so read, learn, but always take it with a grain of salt.  

I considered making this post about all the important books I have, but that would result in a rather long post.  I considered breaking the books into what I considered essential books, but again, that list is long, and quite frankly, too opinionated to be taken for much more than face value.  Two examples of that:

1.  Down and Dirty Guide to Coxing:  Good if you've never coxed or trained coxswains before, or if you're working with novices and need a general breakdown of the position, but nothing more.

2.  Rowing Faster 1st and 2nd Edition:  The title is a bit misleading.  One might assume that because they are listed as editions, the 2nd is an updated version.  It's not, and I find the first edition to be more valuable of the two.  

Instead, I thought I'd offer some insight into my personal library by listing some of the most influential books I've purchased, and maybe why I purchased them or ones with a similar genre.  Or not.  Some are simply going to be books that I feel you should dive into.  

And then finish with some insight into transitioning reading into other approaches for personal development.  

Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance - Alex Hutchinson 

Rowing Faster: 1st Edition - Volker Nolte

I learned the general principles of rigging, and building/developing training programs from this book, amongst other things.  

Rigging - Mike Purcer

If you can get your hands on a copy, do so.  It's the of the few books I own that I will not lend out.  While "Nuts and Bolts" give you solid information, I find this book to be exponentially more valuable.  

Moneyball:  The Art of Winning an Unfair Game - Michael Lewis

Good to Great:  Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't - Jim Collins

Mind Gym:  An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence - Gary Mack and David Casstevens 

I believe that one of the determining factors between successful programs and ones that experience less or inconsistent success are the pillars that support training.  Are there pillars there?  How well built are they?  How integral are they to the program?

The Education of a Coach - David Halberstam

I'm not the biggest Halberstam fan.  "The Amateurs" didn't do it for me, and I felt that the writing was significantly and blatantly slanted.  But this is a good pick up.  

Swimming Fastest - Ernest Maglischo 

This is a tome, and I am still working through it.

Run to the Roar - Paul Assaiante 

Flavor Bouncing - Grant Achatz 

Wait, this isn't a book, and he's not a coach or former athlete.  What?  You are correct.

Honorable Mention:  

A Coach's Life:  My 40 Years in College Basketball - Dean Smith

Excellent book.

10 books, plus a concept.  Did someone in the back just ask where, "Boys in the Boat," is?  I'm going to ask you to leave.  Look, I liked the book.  And I love my alma mater.  And the real story is fantastic.  But it's also become so much of a trend that it's replaced, "Oh rowing?" with the arm motions.  

You'll notice that there aren't many rowing specific books on this list.  There's a reason for that.  Two reasons.  First, I don't own many rowing specific books.  Secondly, I find that tunnel vision isn't necessarily a good thing.  When we talk about training and developing a training program, we often talk about not staying in one zone too long, or too often.  What I've most often heard it describe as is as follows:

"When all you do is train at an 18, you get really good at rowing at an 18.  Except we race at 36+."

I find the same with books.  When you read books centered around something this specific and nuanced, you tend to focus on the specifics and nuances of the sport.  Details are good, but details can be influenced by so much more than what's happening within your sport.  

And this is where I want to finish:  Transitioning books and what you read to something more physical.  

I would always recommend that you should ride along with other coaches whenever possible.  And don't limit yourself.  If you're in college, ride along with a junior coach, or a masters coach, or a middle school coach.  And if you're a junior coach, ride along with more than just big name programs.  Like all things in coaching and training, have a reason.  What value can you gain from riding along with other coaches?

Similarly, don't be afraid to branch out from your sport.  In my career, I have spent time with:

* Wrestling coaches.

* Swimming coaches.

* Tennis coaches.

* Football coaches.

* Soccer coaches.

* Basketball coaches.

* Baseball coaches.

* Volleyball coaches.

I can tell you without hesitation that the time spent with coaches in those sports, wrestling, football, and volleyball in particular have been tremendously valuable.  And my time spent with those coaches was not centered around training ideas or program building.  In fact in none of my visits did I talk training specifics or competition specifics.  

There is information everywhere around you.  When you start looking at it as a framework instead of face value, you start to understand how those pieces can be valuable toward your program and evolution regardless of their general relevance to your chosen career path or sport.