
1973, hardcover edition, Holt Rinehart, NY. 323 pages. Here an experienced newsman is given total access to a high school football program. His only restriction was the fact that ultimately he would change the name of the town, the high school, and the players themselves. Everything else is vividly presented, with a focus on what happens in the high school arena and how some of those same attitudes and demon-like instruction carries these players as they go on to big-time college football. "A skillful, vivid portrait of sports on the high school level."
This work investigates the high-pressure environment of a high school football program and its long-term impact on the development of young athletes. Richard Woodley, an experienced journalist, utilizes his unrestricted access to document the daily operations, coaching philosophies, and social dynamics within a specific high school team. By anonymizing the location and participants, the author provides a candid examination of how intense athletic instruction shapes the character and future trajectories of players transitioning into collegiate sports.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Critics and readers often cite this work as a foundational piece of sports journalism that captures the intensity of high school athletics with rare transparency. Experts highlight the book's value in documenting the psychological and physical demands placed on student-athletes during the 1970s.
Page Count:
323
Publication Date:
1973-01-01
Publisher:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
ISBN-10:
0030010616
ISBN-13:
9780030010613
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