The Heart of the Team: Life Lessons on And Off the Court

The public was first introduced to the Roosevelt Roughriders, a Seattle varsity girls’ basketball team, and their unorthodox coach in the much-acclaimed documentary, The Heart of the Game. In this engaging book, Coach Bill Resler discusses the lessons – culled from life experiences both on and off the court — that he teaches his players. By combining life lessons with basketball skill, he transformed a once-losing basketball team into state champions. Here Resler remembers past players and seasons and uses them to illustrate these valuable lessons. The stories he shares are filled with the excitement of the game and the coach’s personal charm. In addition, the book details Resler’s concept of the Inner Circle, a technique he uses to develop deep-seated feelings of comaraderie in his players. The Heart of the Team inspires readers to develop competitiveness, teamwork, and self-confidence — attributes that come in handy both on and off the court.

Coach Bill Resler has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, Readers Digest, Premier, USA Today, New York Times, and the Seattle Times. Casey McNerthney is a sports correspondent for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Both live in Seattle.