Book Review

I recently Read the book "Never Give Up" by Tedy Bruschi with Micheal Holley. It was released earlier this year and it is Tedy's story of how he recovered from his stroke in February of 2005 to play in the NFL again. Now this book is not going to make you a better athlete, coach, athletic trainer, etc. But, this book was very inspirational and it was filled with lessons that many athletes and people who work with athletes can take away from the book and teach them how to deal with set backs and challenges. It is over coming these set backs and challenges that gives sports and athletics the ability to build character in people. Ask anyone what the benefits of athletic are and one of the first things they will tell you is that is builds character and confidence. But, it can also destroy character and confidence as well, that's why sports psychologists have jobs. Never Give Up is filled with Tedy's point of view on how he accepted the set backs and the challenges of being a stroke survivor and was able to not just return to normal neurological and physical health but also return to his vocation, which just happens to be playing middle linebacker in the NFL.

I took away from this book three major points that will help me except the challenges of my career and in my life. These three points are:

1. Educating is Empowering. In the book Tedy talks about how he meet with Dr. Aurthur Day at Brigham & Women's hospital. It was Dr. Day who told him exactly what the stroke did and how he could continue to live his life. What Dr. Day explained to Ted was, "I'm tyring to empower you here, Education is a very powerful thing." Most athletes are not Exercise science experts. This is especially true with youths and high school athletes. Most athletes will understand and have a great amount of knowledge of the tactics and technique of their sport but will have no idea of how their body works or how to prepare their body for sport. Ask anyone and they will tell you how to maintain a car, computer or any other piece of equipment or technology. No ask that same person how to properly maintain their own body and they will not have the slightest clue. So, it is the job of the individuals who work with athletes to empower them by educating them.


2. Don't live your life by paralysis by analysis. Ted was able to get back to his normal life and return to his job, which just happens to be playing in the NFL by not paralyzing himself by worrying about what he can't do as a stroke survivor. He talked about a great quote he keeps. If you have read any of this site you know I am a quote nut with the quote of the day. He keeps a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt in his wallet where she says, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." I feel that the the stance Ted takes on this quote and how he applied it to his battle overcoming the debilitation from the stroke and how he now lives his life is a great stance to take as a person, an athlete, or a person who works with athletes. He wrote "No matter who you are and what you do for a living, there will be instances in your life when you'll have to show courage and be strong." This is so true for athletes, coaches, and people who work with athletes. Athletes will always have to overcome obstacles whether they are mental, physical or something else they will be there and the successful athlete always find a way to overcome them and if they don't at least they tried. As an individual who works with athletes as either a coach, athletic trainer or strength and conditioning specialist you have to overcome many things yourself and many times you have to overcome challenges with your athletes. Tedy in his book gives so many lessons that one can take and apply in their own life.


3. You have to keep going forward. Ted talks about how once he made up his mind to return he had trouble going forward. He talked about a book he read by Trisha Meili. She has her own story about hope and possibility. She was the Jogging in Central Park and was a victim in a horrible attack by a group of men. She was left scared both physically and mentally but she has moved forward and become a top notch motivational speaker and a best selling author. Her story with Ted's are ones of moving forward. Ted's message of moving forward through set backs and challenges is motivating and inspirational.

I took these three things from this book and plan on keeping them as part of my life and my coaching. As a self proclaimed football junkie I loved this book as well because it was filled great football commentary and insight into a great NFL player while explaining his great comeback story.

I found this book to be a very quick and easy read which was tough to put down. I think it is a great read for anyone involved or not involved in athletics.