John Fredric Evans

Summitt. It sounds like a name that is perfect for the consummate winner who played a pivotal role in putting women's hoops on the map. With her trademark glare, Pat Summitt earned a reputation as one of the game's great practitioners of tough love. Along the way, she notched more wins than any college basketball coach in NCAA history. Before leading Tennessee's Lady Vols to eight national championships, she took over the program as a 22-year-old graduate assistant, drove the team van and washed their uniforms. From these modest beginnings Summitt built a powerhouse, never enduring a losing season in 38 years and becoming a role model for young women everywhere. This biography takes students through the twists and turns in Summitt's story, culminating with her courageous final season as she faced the specter of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Her life is a lesson in fierce determination, uncompromising standards of excellence, and inspirational leadership.

How is it possible that the century's most successful NFL coach conducts himself as though social media is merely a target for ridicule? While the strategies employed by this gridiron genius seemingly evolve in an eye-blink, Bill Belichick is willfully out of step with our culture. In an age of self-promotion and media manipulation, the five-time Super Bowl champion shows open disdain for reporters' microphones. Personal glory doesn't just take a backseat to team success in Foxboro; it is viewed as vanity. Scandals have convinced some that win at any cost is the New England Patriots' mantra, but it's undeniable that their leader instills a timeless set of values in his teams. This book shows students how Belichick's legacy was built on universally applicable principles of preparation, teamwork and adaptability. Love him or hate him, the Hoody has much to teach us.

What's Nick Saban's secret? How did a football coach some derided as a liar, quitter, and mercenary tie the college record for most national championships in the history of the sport? This book details Saban's journey from his humble beginnings in West Virginia and abortive stint in the NFL to the pinnacle of success at Alabama. Students will learn exactly how Saban keeps his recruiting classes atop the rankings and the Crimson Tide in title contention, year after year. The sensitivity beneath Saban's stoic exterior may be surprising, but a closer look at his life reveals that it is a critical part of his psychological makeup. Embedded in his experiences are lessons of leadership useful in all walks of life, from helping very different personalities reach their fullest potential to moving on from both achievements and setbacks with the focus of a perennial winner.