4 out of 4 stars
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Heart of a Champion, The Life & Legacy of Coach Bill Freeman by Jennifer Freeman is a touching tribute to the author’s father. Bill Freeman was an exceptionally gifted coach and teacher. He coached future NFL players and won state championships. He seemed most proud of his positive impact on the lives of his students and players.
Bill Freeman coached high school football and track in Kansas. He took pride in shaping the lives of the athletes he coached. In addition to coaching, he owned a bank and had a farm. After he retired from coaching, he became the mayor of his small town in Kansas. Later in his life, Bill Freeman was experiencing memory loss and confusion. When his family urged him to see a doctor, he received the devastating diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease.
This book provided insight into the personality and dedication of a celebrated football coach. The author provides examples of several pieces of advice that her father shared with her and his players. His views on winning and losing are admirable. Her examples are poignant and humorous at times. Her memories of her father are touching. I especially enjoyed reading the tributes from former players that were included in the book. It’s amazing to see the impact this man had on so many people.
The author highlights the devastation of the Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the impact it has on Coach Freeman and his family. It is a heartbreaking diagnosis for any family, but the author’s emotional description of her father’s decline is powerful to read. She details the early warning signs. For example, forgetting something on the stove, forgetting names and issues with driving are detailed. The reader can feel her sadness when she describes taking her father’s car keys away from him for his own safety.
What I disliked most about this book is that it was so short. Bill Freeman led an amazing life and it would have been interesting to read more about his run for mayor, his work as president of the bank he owned and his work on the farm. Most of these were mentioned in passing without much detail. It sounds like he led an amazing life and his daughter wrote a beautiful tribute to him with this book.
There were a few minor grammatical errors in this book, but they did not take away from my enjoyment. There was no profanity or sexual situations, so it would be appropriate for younger readers. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys biographies or inspirational stories. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars .
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Heart of a Champion, The Life & Legacy of Coach Bill Freeman
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