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A Perfect Season: A Coach’s Journey to Learning, Competing and Having Fun in Youth Baseball

Dan Clemens
Quiet Path Books (2010)
ISBN 9780982870723
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads.com (09/10)


In “A Perfect Season: A Coach’s Journey to Learning, Competing and Having Fun in Youth Baseball,” author Dan Clemens tells us that “In the United States between 40 and 60 million kids play organized sports each year.  And of the 2 to 6 million coaches leading these teams, 85 percent are dads coaching their own kids and less than 20 percent have received any type of training on how to be a coach.  Society, other coaches, and parents chant, “win, win, win,” and baseball coaches dutifully load up on drills, push the kids hard for several days a week, and do whatever it takes to win.  Most, however, neglect a critical part of their coaching duties:  aligning their goals and priorities with what is wanted and needed by the kids they will lead- something they must do before journey begins.” (p.24)  He then goes on to say that this is a “recipe for disaster.”   

I have witnessed much of what he is talking about firsthand, not particularly with baseball, but with soccer.  When my son was in soccer, all of the coaches were parent volunteers who all had their own ideas about how to lead a team. Some were more positive and successful than others.

Clemens’ book draws from the journal entries that he kept for the last fifteen years.  From his stories and experiences, a coach will be able to learn many tips, and share a few laughs and groans along the way. 

My favorite story was the one at the end where he talks about his own son, Alan, hitting a homerun.  Clemens was a third-base coach at the time and as he described the twinkle in his son’s eyes as he rounded the bases, it was priceless.  He says that, as a coach, he was the only one close enough to see that sparkle.   If he was in the stands he wouldn’t have seen it.  Little moments like that mean a lot!

Coaching youth sports is quite a challenging endeavor and I recommend “A Perfect Season: A Coach’s Journey to Learning, Competing and Having Fun in Youth Baseball” to anyone who is interested in taking on the task.   Clemens gives a lot of useful advice that will start you on a successful path to having the perfect season!