Shooting in the Dark

ISBN 978-1886346048 Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership Authored by Jim Thompson
	Before he started Positive Coaching Alliance, Jim Thompson was a high school coach. This memoir chronicles his experience and how it influenced the creation of Positive Coaching Alliance. Shooting in the Dark deals with all the challenges faced by new (and experienced) high school coaches: dealing with his lack of self-confidence, getting players to enjoy working hard, building a strong and positive team culture, dealing with a mini-rebellion by his players, handling angry parents, and much more. His chapter on introducing visualization to his players is classic, with the ramifications of the act not understood until the final pages. Any high school coach, and anyone who aspires to coach at the high school level, will find much to enjoy and learn from in this compelling story by the founder of a movement that is changing the face of youth sports across the United States.

ISBN 978-1886346048

Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership

Authored by Jim Thompson

Before he started Positive Coaching Alliance, Jim Thompson was a high school coach.

This memoir chronicles his experience and how it influenced the creation of Positive Coaching Alliance. Shooting in the Dark deals with all the challenges faced by new (and experienced) high school coaches: dealing with his lack of self-confidence, getting players to enjoy working hard, building a strong and positive team culture, dealing with a mini-rebellion by his players, handling angry parents, and much more.

His chapter on introducing visualization to his players is classic, with the ramifications of the act not understood until the final pages.

Any high school coach, and anyone who aspires to coach at the high school level, will find much to enjoy and learn from in this compelling story by the founder of a movement that is changing the face of youth sports across the United States.

Praise for Shooting in the Dark

“It is no longer just the coach who yells, ‘My way or the highway’ who gets respect and effort from his players. This new type of coach is one whose leadership is trusted because he shares it with players. Shooting in the Dark brings these ideals into focus as the reader travels uncharted highways with Jim in his effort to learn by feel how all this works.”
– Phil Jackson, Head Coach, Los Angeles Lakers

“Shooting in the Dark takes the reader on a unique journey into the world of coaching using a storytelling strategy that is easy to read, yet rich in detail. The book teaches both the theory (cleverly disguised as common sense) and the practice of effective coaching strategies. I plan to make it required reading in my coaching class to illustrate an approach to coaching that is about much more than the coach’s record.”
– Martha Ewing, PhD, Sports Psychologist, Michigan State University

“Here is a readable and extremely useful book for succeeding in anything you do. It’s filled with charming teaching strategies and clear guidelines for action. When you pack your bag for your own journey of mastery, be sure to include Shooting in the Dark.”
– George Leonard, author of Mastery and The Ultimate Athlete

“A magnificent story about discovering “positive coaching” through the experience of coaching a high school girls basketball team and the melding of leadership theory. . . a must-read for those who care about the sports experience of our children.”
– Donna Lopiano, PhD, Executive Director, Women’s Sports Foundation