Chasing Perfection ― The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way

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.

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, andThe 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.