Right now is the perfect time to find a new book to help you improve as a player. And I’ve got 3 suggestions for you.
If you want to get better as an athlete, you need to always keep learning and growing.
Reading is the single greatest way to improve yourself if you can commit to as little as 10 minutes a day to sit and crack open a book (or listen to audio books, if that’s better for you).
Here’s my summer reading list for lacrosse players.
While these books are not “lacrosse” books, they are books and topics that will help any athlete be a better athlete.
These books cover 3 crucial areas:
- MINDSET (Mindset training is vastly under trained in sports)
- TEAMWORK (Being a great teammate is MUST in team sports)
- LEADERSHIP (Leadership is a constant and never ending journey, remember that)
I have countless books that I could recommend for you.
But I wanted to keep this list short with a few great suggestions.
These are also “easy reads” and have very practical information to help you in your athletic journey.
Here’s my 3 recommendations…
1-MIND GYM ($13 on Amazon)
Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence by Gary Mack with David Casstevens is a book that focuses on the mental side of athletic performance.
Since mental training is the most under-trained area in sports, this book serves as a fantastic resource.
It provides practical advice and techniques to help you strengthen their mind, which is critical in lacrosse.
Key themes this book include:
Mental Toughness: Find out how to develop resilience and the ability to stay focused and composed under pressure.
Positive Thinking: The power of positive thinking and visualization to enhance performance and overcome challenges is absolutey huge. The book has great examples and perspectives to help athletes in these areas.
Goal Setting: Learn how to set clear, achievable goals and create a roadmap to reach them.
Focus and Concentration: Discover techniques for maintaining focus and concentration, even in high-stress situations.
Self-Confidence: Learn how to build self-confidence through preparation, practice, and positive self-talk.I am a big believer in the power of self confidence in sports as it is such a critical component in life.
This book is easy to read and combines mindset insights with practical exercises and real-life examples from elite athletes, making it a valuable resource for athletes looking to improve their mental performance in sports and beyond.
This book has become a classic.
2-THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE ($20 on Amazon)
The next book is The Champion Teammate by John O’Sullivan and Jerry Lynch. I love this book as it’s so valuable for athletes, coaches, and families in sports.
You do not want to be a “toxic teammate.” If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve experienced a player or two who’s been the bad seed on the team. As you know, that can be disastrous.
The Champion Teammate explores the essential qualities that make a great teammate, both on and off the field.
The book is structured around highly practical advice and real-life stories, emphasizing the importance of character, communication, commitment and other virtues.
Each chapter also has several questions and actionable takeaways to deepen your learning.
Key themes include:
Selflessness: Learn the importance of putting the team’s needs above individual glory. This is a critical topic.
Work Ethic: Learn to consistently give your best effort and set a positive example for others.
Accountability: We all need to take responsibility for our actions and also hold others accountable in a constructive way.
Positive Attitude: Recurring theme here about attitude? You bet. Learn more about how to maintain a positive mindset, even in challenging situations, to inspire and uplift your team.
Effective Communication: It is essential to build strong relationships through clear, honest, and respectful dialogue. Positive communication is critical in team sports.
The authors also discuss the role of leadership within a team, highlighting how champion teammates not only strive for excellence themselves but also help elevate the performance and morale of those around them.
The book serves as a comprehensive guide for athletes, coaches, and anyone looking to build a more collaborative and high-achieving environment.
Fantastic book, I highly recommend it.
3-THE ESSENTIAL WOODEN ($14 on Amazon)
Finally, I want to recommend an easy to read and concise book on leadership and team sports.
This is one of my favorite sports books because it has such valuable information and transformative insights.
I love this book.
The Essential Wooden: A Lifetime of Lessons on Leaders and Leadership by John Wooden and Steve Jamison is a comprehensive exploration of the principles and philosophies of one of the greatest basketball coaches in history, John Wooden.
The book encapsulates Wooden’s timeless wisdom on leadership, character, and success, extending far beyond basketball.
Here’s some of the big ideas and key insights you’ll read about.
The Pyramid of Success:
Wooden’s famous Pyramid of Success is a central theme. It includes 15 building blocks of success, such as industriousness, enthusiasm, self-control, alertness, and team spirit, which collectively guide individuals toward achieving their best, according to Wooden.
Defining Success:
What exactly is success? How do you define it? Wooden defines success not in terms of winning or material achievements but as peace of mind attained through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best you are capable of being. How amazing is that?
Character and Integrity:
To me, character is most important when working with athletes today. Emphasizing the importance of character, Wooden advises that true success is measured by who you are rather than what you have accomplished. Think about that. Good character is essential in sports and in life.
Leadership and Teamwork:
Effective leadership, according to Wooden, is about serving others and leading by example. Building a cohesive team that works together towards common goals is foundational. Wooden’s own coaching career exemplifies this, with his emphasis on unselfish play and mutual respect.
Preparation and Hard Work:
Preparation is key. Wooden’s meticulous planning and relentless focus on fundamentals illustrate that hard work and attention to detail are paramount to success. There was a lot here that deeply resonated with me.
Adapting to Change:
Wooden encourages flexibility and the willingness to adapt. This is highly relevant in today’s sports world as things evolve very fast, especially in lacrosse. While principles and values should remain constant, strategies and methods may need to evolve with changing times and circumstances.
Mentorship and Influence:
The book also touches on Wooden’s role as a mentor and the positive influence he had on his players, teaching them life lessons that extended well beyond basketball. This is my belief as well. Sports is the platform to teach life lessons to help make us better people.
The book provides practical advice for leaders, with actionable insights on how to build a strong foundation for success, develop a winning mindset, inspire others, among many other things.
“The Essential Wooden” is a valuable resource for anyone seeking guidance on leadership and personal development, blending Wooden’s legendary wisdom with practical strategies for achieving lasting success. Many books have been written about Wooden’s philosophies, but this is one of the best.
3 amazing books.
Hopefully, one of these has you wanting to learn more.
Again, to become a better person and to become better at lacrosse, never stop learning and growing.
Whether you read these books or something else.
Pick up a book, read, and apply what you learn.
After you read one of these books, post a comment and let me know your thoughts.
What actionable takeaway did you have?
