Product Description

After decades of helping to mold teenagers into adults as a highly successful football coach, including a national championship as the coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Lou Holtz shares a common sense message with teens in an easily understood game plan for life. He speaks clearly and persuasively to a generation that is "being asked to make important decisions that have adult consequences earlier than any previous generation." "In today's social climate," he tells them, "your ability to know how to make good decisions becomes more important than ever before." Lou Holtz is a highly sought-after speaker and author who for years has challenged and motivated adults. Now in a book that parents will want for their teen-age children he spells out his tested, proven game plan for life. Teens that want to define their life goals and then go about reaching them will want to read A TEEN'S GAME PLAN FOR LIFE.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #719037 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up-A motivational title by a highly successful and much-publicized college football coach. In a breezy style, the author stresses his commitment to excellence, loyalty, clean living habits, and a belief in God. Holtz discusses having a positive attitude, being self-disciplined, setting and understanding goals, etc. He tells many stories regarding his life on and off the football field, but some of them fail to make his points. In one case, he describes how as a teen he urged a close friend to undertake a potentially dangerous swim; the anecdote is neither appropriate nor amusing. Halfway through the book, the narrative begins to ramble. Black-and-white photos of athletes, the author, and his family are often unfocused and grainy. The appendix is devoted to Holtz's accomplishments, which are a tribute to his determination.
Libby K. White, Jewish Vocational Services, Baltimore, MD
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Lou Holtz was head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1986 to 1996, winning the National Championship in 1988. Holtz is now the head football coach at the University of South Carolina. In 2000, Holtz became the first coach to lead four different schools to top 20 finishes (North Carolina, Arkansas, Notre Dame, South Carolina). Holtz is a master motivational speaker and a former analyst for CBS Sports. Lou Holtz and his wife Beth are parents to four grown children. This is his third book.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
A LETTER TO ALL TEENS FROM LOU HOLTZ

Because of today's social climate, your ability to know how to make good decisions becomes more important than ever before.

To My Teenage Friends,

You have more choices and decisions before you than any previous generation.

Because of the increase in the number of families with both parents working, and the increase in the number of single parent families, you are being asked, on your own, to make important decisions that have adult consequences earlier than any previous generation. I imagine a number of you already perform adult functions, like providing care, supervising, and cooking for a younger sibling. You are to be commended.

So often the good achievements of young people go unnoticed while bad actions like school shootings, drug overdoses, or a teenage killing over a pair of sneakers make the headlines today.

Why would a teenager take such extreme actions that tarnish the reputation of an entire generation, you may ask? Some of these incidents may involve drug use, or a lack of respect brought on by low self-esteem. Some actions are beyond comprehension.

However, we do know that when a young person performs actions such as these, they are stealing future opportunities and chances from themselves.

Because of today's social climate, your ability to know how to make good decisions becomes more important than ever before.

The nature of making good decisions and leading successful lives remains the same as when your parents and grandparents were your age. How to make those decisions and understand some of the important things of life is what I hope to pass on to you.

I will share some simple and easy-to-apply rules for success that I have used myself. Believe it or not, I was once a teenager, too. In fact, I wasn't a good student and I wasn't a good athlete. My gift was common sense, something I have been fortunate enough to have possessed my whole life.

I'm going to share with you a game plan for life that I hope will help you to understand what is important and how you can make good decisions in the future.

I believe this is a formula for success that you can use from this day forward.

My prayers are with you as you try to be all that God intends for you.

Coach Lou Holtz

Customer Reviews

Great Book
I'm a Lou Holtz fan, a lot of people I've talked with say the book is just a recycled version of speeches he's given. Well I've never heard him speak in person, so the stories are new to me. Some of the stories relate to his childhood, marriage, goals and obviously coaching at Notre Dame and South Carolina.

It seems that this book is being marketed towards teenagers (I guess that's where they got the title) but I found it inspirational. I'll hang on to it and give it to my son in another 10 years or so when he's a teen.

every teen should read!
This is a great book for any teen. Easy read, highly inspiring, great goals!