Really Winning

Book excerpt: Dr. Jim Mastrich's years of experience as a licensed psychologist who consults athletes and counsels troubled adolescents and their families is the foundation of Really Winning--a comprehensive guide that provides mentors with the tools to foster integrity and character in boys. A must for any parent, this practical guide encourages parents and coaches to help athletes develop compassion and empathy instead of becoming arrogant and self-centered. Many of the modern day heroes for boys are sports figures. But it seems today, for every Tiger Woods whose talent is matched by good character, there's a Mike Tyson whose exploits and abuses give sports a bad name. Really Winning goes beyond many "boy" books published in recent years. By focusing specifically on the positive aspects of athletics and incorporating the psychological background of our boys Dr. Mastrich helps parents, coaches, and administrators create the ideal conditions for boys to become young men with sound character. Using many vignettes from his own practice, Dr. Mastrich has shaped Really Winning into a readable, practical, anecdotal guidebook that no parent should be without.