The Education of a Coach
reviewed by Chris Gadomski

When David Halberstam's book arrived from Amazon at my home, I opened the package and immediately started paging through the book. It wasn't long before I abandoned my day's plan and snuck off to the living room to settle in for a good read. For the next few days the book became a constant companion and commanded my attention during any available leisure time. My only dissapointment came when I finished the book.

Halberstram's depiction of the education of Bill Belichick goes way beyond a chronology of his subject's various school and coaching experiences. The author carefully examines the origin of Belichick's values and his commitment to coaching and to excellence. In delving deeply into the coach's strategy for being the best, emerges a book which constitutes a "must-read" for a high school coach, or for a parent of a high school athlete.

My personal interest in Belichick started when he worked for Bill Parcells at the New York Giants. It was then only, however, a passing interest. Listening to Bill Belichick at the May 2006 Frank McGuire Coaches seminar in Madison Square Garden fueled my curiosity further. Standing at the podium was not the man the media depicted, nor was he the man that glumly paced the sidelines. He was an entertaining, thoughtful and engaging speaker. He had a sense of humor. His success as a coach was cerebal...I wanted to know more.

Halberstram's book is a great next step. He explains aspects of Belichick's psyche that now makes me better understand the coach pacing the sidelines. I now have insights into how the man thinks, how he coaches and how, for example, he came up with a strategy for winning his second Super Bowl ring with Parcells by beating a high powered and "explosive" Bufalo Bills team. Having read the book, I now watch the game differently, and I will now watch more closely Belichick current chase for his next SuperBowl.

Perhaps what intrigues me most about Bill Belichick and what I carry away from the book are the values he espouses and the characteristics of the players he selects to play for him. In an era where there appears to be a disturbing emergence of "ego" and "selfishness" among pro athletes--think the dancing T.O.--and increasingly among those high school and college players that aspire to become professional, it is refreshing to find a coach that embraces the concept of the team, preparation and hard work.

Had I enjoyed the fortune of knowing Frank McGuire, I sense it would have been similar values that I would have picked-up on.

Hyperion Books, ISBN 1-4012-0154-1.

Reader's Favorites More on Belichick

"Belicick to Halberstam may be football's best combination since Montana to Rice."
--Bob Costas

"A great book...Halberstam has brought a new level of insight to the game."
--The Boston Globe

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