Role Models Who Inspire Greatness: Book Features 34 Athletes Who Exemplify Character and Leadership
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Simone Biles, Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan and Serena Williams are just a few of the 34 inspirational athletes who made the cut in Sports Role Models: Book 1 from bestselling author Dr. Joe Hoedel.
“As Americans, we tend to pay attention to the scandals in sports,” Hoedel said. “However, there are positive role models in sports who can and do inspire us to greatness in our own lives.”
Each chapter in _Sports Role Models: Book 1 is a short, engaging story about an athlete or coach who exemplifies positive traits such as character, leadership and sportsmanship — qualities that contributed to their success both on and off the playing field.
Hoedel tells the stories behind the stories, including:
• Why Muhammad Ali became a boxer;
• That Michael Phelps had ADHD and was bullied as a child;
• That Bobby Jones called a penalty on himself that cost him a U.S. Open title;
• That Simone Biles was abandoned by her drug-addicted mother and placed into foster care at the age of 3;
• And much, much more.
Readers will recognize many of the heroes Hoedel profiles, including Muhammad Ali, Kerri Strug, Michael Phelps and Pat Summitt. Other chapters feature lesser known yet equally remarkable examples of the power of the human spirit, like Richard Norris Williams, who survived the Titanic and went on the win Wimbledon; or Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm during a shark attack and returned to the waters to become a champion surfer.
Sports Role Models: Book 1 includes a mix of historical and contemporary sports figures; a healthy balance of men and women; and a diverse blend of race, ethnicity, backgrounds and perspectives.
Sports Role Models: Book 1 is the first of three in a series, and cumulatively, the books cover 26 distinct sports and many of the greatest sports moments of the last 100 years.
“There is something in these books for everyone,” Hoedel added. “People want and need to be inspired. We should be able to look up to positive role models who inspire us to greatness.”
About the Author
Joe Hoedel earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. For 20 years he has served as the CEO of Character Development and Leadership, an education-based curriculum company. He has created two educational programs that are used in more than 3,500 middle and high schools across the country. He is the author of three books that highlight 102 athletes and coaches who exemplify positive character traits. Hoedel has spoken at hundreds of conferences in the past two decades. He is also a high school coach in Traverse City. He is married and has four amazing daughters.
For more information, please visit www.characterandleadership.com, or follow the author on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/characterandleadership), X (@CDandLeadership) and Instagram (characterandleadership).
Sports Role Models: Book 1
Publisher: Character Development and Leadership
ISBN: 978-1-7336526-0-5
Available from https://characterandleadership.com/sports-role-models-books/