The Champion Teammate: Timeless Lessons to Connect, Compete and Lead in Sports and Life

Forever ago when I started coaching I remember a great lesson a coach I was working under taught me. Tryouts had concluded and team selection was on the table. The first player Coach wanted to talk about was a kid I was not sure should make the team, and certainly was not the first kid we should talk about.Coaches words were this "Teams don't win championships because of kids like this, but every team that wins a championship has a kid or two like this.'His point was that we needed kids who understand the value of being a good teammate. Who will willing to work and do things that did not get the headline, but helped the team get better. Coach was determined to find the kids in our tryout group who fit this mold, before we moved forward.I thought a lot about coach today as I read The Champion Teammate. Chapter 5 Give Selflessly hits the mark on the value of having kids on your team who put the team first. Coach would have copied this section and made everyone read it.I hope you take the time to buy this book and read through it one section at a time. Let it sink it and see how it can help you. My guess is you will enjoy it as much as I am.

While I was reading this to get better insights on building winning sports teams, one of the best things about the book is the underlying principles of what is takes to be a great teammate in any discipline in life. You will always work in teams in your life and the principles and practices shared in "The Champion Teammate" are highly valuable.Now for athletes and sports teams, this is one of best books I've read on the topic AND a book that is highly needed today. That is because being a great teammate today goes WAY beyond just talent. As a matter of fact, talent has virtually nothing to do with being an exceptional teammate and leader. And that is where this book is needed and helpful.I'm halfway done this book and I just got it yesterday - that should tell you how valuable and insightful this book is.Highly recommended and a fantastic resource (not just for athletes and coaches).As the book says, "your life will always be filled with different types of teams and teammates" - that is what makes this book so valuable!For athletes on sports teams, this should be required reading.

Highly memorable, inspirational vignettes from history's most storied winners, including many I had never learned about before. Lynch and O'Sullivan speak directly to today's culture of winner-take-all and straight-to-Instagram with this practical list of traits of true winners. They do a great job of avoiding the list of things to do, and instead, they shine a spotlight on the principles and the process of how champions made their way into the history books. This book is equally valuable for athletes, coaches, and all the people who support and love them.

I really enjoyed this book and my approach to reading it was one chapter a day then work on the questions at the end. You have probably heard some of this material before but it is well worth reminding yourself by reading this book.

I always appreciate the insights of John and I have been a fan of his work for years. Highly recommend the Changing the Game Podcast as well. This book combines a lot of cool stories and wide ranging traditions to gimpart practical wisdom about leadership. We can all stand to keep learning and improving, and this book is a useful tool for that.

Great book for coaches, players, and parents.

I really like the way the book is set up-easy to use with my team. Can't wait to implement during the season!

I'm a huge fan of John and Jerry. The book is an easy read and hits all the right notes. I loved all the chapters, especially chapter 10, WIN THE DAY—a must-read for players, parents, and coaches.

As a coach of teenagers in sport, I recommend this book. I have long searched for a book that I can refer teenage players to both individually and collectively,that will help them understand what it means to be a part of a team. I believe this book is the one. The authors are specialists in their fields and are able to convey valuable messages in a relatable way. I like the short format chapters and questions to reflect on at each chapter end. All of this makes the book an easy and valuable read for players and busy coaches alike.  I look forward to our team working through it and enacting some of the lessons within. Thanks Mark