Book on high school team a
must read
By Felix Chavez/Sun-News reporter
Author Neil Swidey has given
readers a fabulous tale about
Unlike other sports books in which writers spend a season
with a team, Swidey spent three years with the team
and his book reflects a tale of determination, hard work and dealing with some
of life's toughest issues such as race.
"I'm really happy with the book,
people are connecting with it and have liked it." Swidey
said. "Some people have come to it because of basketball and it's an
inside view of a basketball powerhouse. Some are interested in it even if they
don't have an interest in sports."
Swidey said he read both "Fall
River Dreams" and "The Miracle of St. Anthony" and he enjoyed
reading those books. But he didn't want to duplicate either of those books.
players.
The book centers around head coach Jack O'Brien and two star
players, Jason White and Ridley Johnson. O'Brien is the highly successful
coach, who is hard-edged on the court but who is with his players as much as
possible off the court. O'Brien wants nothing but the best for his players on
and off the court and he has gone through great lengths to see to that.
Johnson and White are two of his players that battle some of
life's obstacles to try to get where they want to be in life. But it isn't easy
for many of O'Brien's players, who often battle living in some of
"What is unique about this story is that there is real life people at the center of this story," the
author said. "The players, Ridley and Jason along with coach
O'Brien are so different and powerful in their own way. They connect in some
ways, but they drive each other nuts sometimes. I didn't want to do just one
season. The logical ending was with the first season when they won the state
title. But the story got more important later. What happens to these people
when they are away from each other. When you watch coach O'Brien, you see him pacing, pouting and his arms
flailing. He's motivated by relationships, he told me he could do without
hoops, but not relationships."
The characters in the book are wonderfully portrayed to the
reader, particularly the character of O'Brien. He is a complex character, who
can't make up his mind. He's also a great coach that has been successful at a
school that he helped build. And he's also a person that doesn't care about
color, race or simply the win, but rather a generous person who has gone above
and beyond what many high school coaches do.
Neil Swidey's is a must-read for
sports fans and even non-sports fans. The book combines both sports history and
the history of the city of
"It was an interesting story," Swidey
said. "I didn't know where the story would lead. When good things happen,
it's easy to write, when things are bad, it's tough. The people I wrote about
talked honestly about what happened. I appreciate their willingness to let me
in their lives.
For more information on the book go to http://www.theassist.net
Felix Chavez can be reached at fchavez@lcsun-news.com