Book Review - The Coach - Ric Charlesworth  x3
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| The Coach - Ric Charlesworth |
October 2, 2001 
Scott Goodheart - International Hockey News
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BOOK REVIEW ? THE COACH
As I literally closed the last page of Ric Charlesworth?s The Coach, I peered out my plane window. Below me happened to be London on one of those crisp and clear mornings. The rows of English houses and lives below me were perfectly visible. I felt some affinity with those hobbyists who tirelessly create model towns they can see, watch and manipulate.
They must relish the ability to observe the world below with such vision. The sense of omniscience is invigorating. It then dawned upon me that Ric Charlesworth actually has this ability on the sports field.
The Coach is an insightful self-reflection by a someone who has achieved much more than most. In doing so, we gain significant personal insight to the enigma, entity and coach that is the man, Ric Charlesworth.
Of great interest within The Coach was the behind the scenes commentary and numerous anecdotes surrounding Australia?s most successful sports team of the modern era, the Hockeyroos.
A looking glass into the elite world of their back to back Olympic gold medals is fascinating for any reader, be they hockey fans, sports fans, or appreciators of success.
For the football nuts, you will have to be satisfied with just a few pages on his experiences as ?High Performance Consultant? at the Fremantle Dockers.
The purists will appreciate and debate Charlesworth?s naming of his hockey ?Australian Team? and ?World Team? for both men and women from the last forty years. He also delves into his most respected Australian and World champions from all sports codes.
Most significant within the text is his discussion on coaching. Relating the main lessons from his time spent in medicine, politics, state cricket, four Olympics as an athlete, and of course his seven years coaching the Hockeyroos, Charlesworth writes in a manner that is both clear and perceptive.
His latter discussions on leadership and captaincy are not necessarily new amongst management students. However, his chapter titled ?What the Hockeyroos Can Tell Business? is shrewd, innovative and includes some powerful principles.
An accomplished speaker in global corporate, academic and sporting circles, Charlesworth has exposed the science behind coaching in a way that is applicable across skill levels, multiple sporting disciplines and of course, business and management.
An enjoyable and educational read. The Coach is to be released in all bookstores on 1 October 2001.
Copies of his book can also be ordered after this date over the internet from www.riccharlesworth.com.au.
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