CLOSE
Chasing Perfection
Chasing Perfection

Chasing Perfection

The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way
By Bob Ladouceur, By Neil Hayes

SPORTS & RECREATION

240 Pages, 5.5 x 8.5

Formats: Cloth, Mobipocket, EPUB, PDF

Cloth, $24.95 (CA $27.95) (US $24.95)

ISBN 9781629371665

Rights: WOR

Triumph Books (Oct 2015)

eBook

eBook Editions Available

Will it work on my eReader?
Price: $24.95
 
Google Preview
9781629371665
Media Copy

Overview

A coaching legend shares techniques, philosophies, and team-building exercises applicable beyond the playing field
 
In 1979, when Bob Ladouceur took over the head football coaching job at De La Salle high school, the program had never once had a winning season. By the time he stepped down in 2013 and after posting an unprecedented 399–25–3 record, De La Salle was regarded as one of the great dynasties in the history of high school football. In When the Game Stands Tall: Coaches’ Playbook, Ladouceur shares, for the first time, the coaching philosophies he employed at De La Salle. Far more than a book on the Xs and Os of football, this resource focuses on how Ladouceur created a culture based on accountability, work ethic, humility, and commitment that made his teams greater than the sum of their parts. This book not only include details on the nuances of the game and the techniques that made the Spartans the most celebrated high school football team in history, it also has chapters on creating what Ladouceur calls an “authentic team experience,” which include lessons as valuable in a board room as in a locker room.

Author Biography

Bob Ladouceur
See Author
Bob Ladouceur was the head coach of the De La Salle high school football team for 34 years. He is one of the most successful high school football coach in the country, posting a 399–25–3 record, including a 151-game winning streak was the longest in the history of high school football. He was elected to the National High School Hall of Fame in 2001. He lives in San Ramon, California. Neil Hayes is the author of the bestselling When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football’s Longest Winning Streak, which was adapted into a feature film starring Jim Caviezel in 2014, and The Last Putt: Two Teams, One Dream, and a Freshman Named Tiger. He is a sports writer for the Chicago Sun Times and was named one of the nation’s top-10 sports columnists by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He lives in Chicago.

Book Signings

Past Events

Dec
04
Neil Hayes - Chasing Perfection ›
Chicago, IL
12:00pm
Oct
17
Bob Ladouceur - Chasing Perfection ›
Concord, CA
11:30am
Oct
05
Bob Ladouceur - Chasing Perfection ›
Danville, CA
7:00pm
Oct
01
Neil Hayes - Chasing Perfection ›
Naperville, IL
7:00pm

Press Releases

Chasing Perfection:

The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way

By Bob Ladouceur with Neil Hayes

 

Contact: Samantha Frontera, Triumph Books, 312.676.4224, s.frontera@triumphbooks.com

 

De La Salle High School head coach Bob Ladouceur is an expert when it comes to high school football, and  he knows what it means to be a true Spartan. Ladouceur took part in 399 wins during his time as head coach from 1979 to 2013. From 1992 to 2004, he guided the team to 12 consecutive undefeated seasons, setting a national record for high school football with 151 consecutive wins. 

 

Ladouceur believed that good coaching always started with teamwork, selflessness, humility, sincerity and accountability.  He knew that if a coach didn’t have those traits, his players never would. His goal was to not only make his players better on the field but off the field as well. Ladouceur was enshrined to the National High School Hall of Fame in 2001 for all of his success. Chasing Perfection: The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way, by Bob Ladouceur with Neil Hayes (Triumph Books, 2015), depicts true portraits of life lessons, football techniques and the value of persistence. This title outlines different positions, plays, tactics and important elements for creating a successful football team. Coach Ladouceur retired in January 2013 after winning his last Open Division state championship in December 2012.

 

  • Inside is an exclusive look at the offense, defense, special teams, quarterback position and more
  • Readers will learn the best tactics for creating an active culture and mission statement and incorporating leadership skills
  • De La Salle’s success under Ladouceur’s leadership was even showcased in the 2014 hit movie When the Game Stands Tall

 

Chasing Perfection is perfect for anyone looking for tips on how to amplify a football team’s success by taking their players to the next level. With numerous descriptive techniques regarding plays, formations and positions, you will learn the “De La Salle” way.

 

About the Authors:

Bob Ladouceur is a retired American football coach. He began coaching the De La Salle High Spartans in Concord, California, in 1979, when he was 25 years old. He took over a program that had never enjoyed a winning season since the school’s establishment in 1965. His first season as head coach resulted in their first winning season. From 1992 through 2004 he guided the team to 12 consecutive undefeated seasons, setting a national winning streak of 151 games.

 

Neil Hayes is a former long-time sportswriter/columnist for the Contra Costa Times and the Chicago Sun-Times. He also wrote the script for and helped produce the hour-long ESPN documentary 151: The Greatest Streak. He was an on-set consultant and associate producer for the 2014 major motion picture When the Game Stands Tall, which is based on his book with the same title.

 

###