Players First: Coaching From the Inside Out by John Calipari and Michael Sokolove
Players First:
Coaching From the Inside Out by John Calipari and Michael Sokolove
Well,
before I even get into the review of this memoir I have to say that I am a huge
University of Kentucky Basketball fan so I am immediately biased. I remember
when I first really got into watching College Basketball, being at a UK
football game against University of Alabama and out walked Coach John Calipari
and the 2009-2010 squad, which included John Wall, Demarcus Cousin, Eric
Bledsoe and Darius Miller. I am one of those crazy fans that yell at the tv,
jump up and down, pace the room and I have even shed tears. I always, always,
always look at the bench and watch Coach Cal and judged if my crazy matches his
attitude. If I’m mad and he is mad then I know I’m in the right. I have even
been known to say “Just let me coach one day!” screaming at the top of my
lungs. I am that fan and I make no apologies. Coach Cal is a great coach and I
wanted to take this opportunity to really dig into his thoughts as a coach at
the University of Kentucky. I was not disappointed.
Self-reflection
takes a lot of courage. To look at yourself and recognize your flaws and be
able to admit to them says a lot about your character. I feel like this memoir
is an exercise in self-reflection. Calipari reveals a lot about himself in this
book. I was surprised by how much he was willing to share, about his coaching
style, how he recruits, his relationships with the players. It is all so candid
that at moments my mouth drop. This is a man who talks about how his players
come back to the house and take naps because they are exhausted. He talked
about his faith and trips to Dunkin Donuts and being around the fans. Every
aspect of his life as it relates to basketball and coaching was explored. He
talked about his family but that wasn’t the focus of this book. The focus was
his players, their careers and the game.
One
thing I must commend Calipari on is his fearlessness. Kentucky is known for the
“one and done” and I am sure some people thought Cal might try to skirt around
that issue. If you have ever heard Calipari talk to anyone about the “one and
done” you would know that he would take that issue on head first. And he does.
He talks about all the different aspects of it and why it’s a problem. But it’s
the current situation. He is embracing for his players and helping them make
the best decision. I’m heartbroken every time players leave the school but I
love watching them play in the NBA. I get it. I understand. He also though
decided to take on the NCAA as a whole and the problems associated with college
athletics. He has MANY genuine concerns that need to be addressed and I am glad
that he addressed them.
Coach
Cal accomplished a lot of things with this memoir, most importantly he shared
with his fans a very intimate look into his life. I appreciate that. The
writing in this memoir is very simple, relatable and enjoyable. IF you are a
College Basketball fan and you don’t hate John Calipari or the University of
Kentucky then you will enjoy it for what it is: a look at a very successful
school and coach. I get it 5 out of 5 stars. Well worth the read.
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