Running Against The Odds: An Inspirational Journey to Making High School Sports History

by Desmond Dunham

Overview

Life took Desmond "Coach Dez" Dunham down an unpaved path toward both manhood and coaching, testing his spirit, humility, and purpose. Now a nationally recognized high school coach, Running Against The Odds chronicles Dunham's journey to finding his passion within youth sports, culminating at the 2007 Penn Relays - one of the most defining moments of his illustrious running career.

In this impassioned coming-of-age memoir, Dunham recounts his turbulent childhood, filled with challenges in economically-distressed Gary, Indiana. Despite constant rejection and disappointment from a distant, alcoholic father, Dunham persevered, attended Howard University, and found his passion on the track with key support along the way.

From humble beginnings with the odds stacked against him, Dunham's story shows that underdogs prevail.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637303986
Publisher:	TeamDunham LLC
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	250
Sales rank:	1,010,459
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Coach Dunham is a youth sports expert with over two decades of coaching and teaching experience. He has successfully coached youth athletes and teams in cross-country, track & field, basketball, soccer, baseball, and flag football. Most notably, Coach Dunham has had one of the most prolific coaching careers in high school cross-country and track & field. He is one of the most decorated high school coaches in the country and boasts national All-Americans, national championships, and international titles from the short sprints up to the distance events, including cross-country.Dunham fell in love with running at an early age and had a notable high school and college career. After finishing his undergraduate studies at Howard University, Dunham started coaching track & field at St. Gabriel's Catholic School in Washington, DC. His passion for coaching propelled him to launch the DC Redwings, a year-round running club for youth runners. Dunham coached over a hundred All-Americans and numerous national champions during the eight-year span of the club's existence. While leading the DC Redwings, Dunham began to coach at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in nearby Greenbelt MD.During his five-year coaching stint at Roosevelt, Dunham made US history by winning two championships in the same year at the prestigious Penn Relays, beating the dominant Jamaican teams. As the head coach at Roosevelt, Dunham led his teams to capture nearly twenty national titles (indoor/outdoor track & field) and ten state titles (cross-country, indoor/outdoor track & field). After leaving Roosevelt, Dunham was the head cross-country and distance track coach at the University of Maryland from 2009-2013 and coached several NCAA qualifiers. Knowing his heart belonged in youth sports, Dunham returned to the high school scene in 2012 as a teacher and coach at Wilson High School in Washington, DC. Once again, Dunham's leadership resulted in numerous city and state championships in cross-country and track and field. In 2017 Dunham became the Director and Head Coach of track & field and cross-country at St. John's College High School. Since joining the SJC team, he has captured over ten track & field and cross-country championships.Beyond his remarkable accolades in track and field, Dunham has a wealth of experience coaching and managing youth programs and teams across a variety of sports. He spent seven years as an athletic director in DC schools, coached little league baseball for eight years, has coached youth basketball for over a decade, provides specialty training for youth all-star baseball athletes, and currently facilitates speed and agility training sessions for a local youth travel soccer team. Dunham is a highly sought speaker for local and national youth sports conferences and workshops. Dunham earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology from Howard University and earned a Master of Teaching in Secondary Science Education from Trinity University. He resides in Northwest DC with his wife (Jami) and two children (Niles and Nia).

Table of Contents

Author's Note

Foreword by Marcus O'Sullivan, Villanova University Men's Track and Field & Cross Country Head Coach and Four-Time Olympian 

Part I - Childhood

Chapter 1 - The Warmup

Chapter 2 - The Starting Line

Chapter 3 - Man of the House

Chapter 4 - The Games We Played

Chapter 5 - A Tale of Two Cities

Chapter 6 - Pushing the Limits

Chapter 7 - Hail to the Chief

Chapter 8 - Worth More Than a Ribbon

Part II - College Years

Chapter 9 - The Mecca

Chapter 10 - Eyes Wide Open

Chapter 11 - Losing My Footing

Chapter 12 - Finding Redemption

Chapter 13 - Leaning At the Finish Line

Chapter 14 - From Pledging to Purpose

Part III - Coaching

Chapter 15 - Community & Calling

Chapter 16 - Rookie Coach

Chapter 17 - What's the Cost

Chapter 18 - Championship Weather

Chapter 19 - Licking Our Wounds

Chapter 20 - Bouncing Back

Chapter 21 - House of Champions

Chapter 22 - Making History

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

Appendix 

Editorial Reviews

Each chapter is layered on each other with valuable and insightful lessons. Desmond innately gravitates to helping others and through education and coaching creates a positive environment for America's often marginalized youth to survive, grow, and prosper. His meaningful life can be an inspiration to everyone. Yes, Desmond's book includes wonderfully depicted races culminating with the Penn Relays. But, most importantly, you will witness how one individual, through his own personal journey, can make such a profound difference in the lives of others.

-Marcus O'Sullivan, Villanova University Men's Track and Field & Cross Country Head Coach, Four-Time Olympian

"Desmond Dunham turned the traumatic experiences of his youth into a powerful, transformative memoir for activism. Running Against The Odds is a testament to keep running, keep striving, keep grinding, keep believing, keep positive people in your life and, eventually, the odds will turn in your favor."

- Karen Dennis, Director of Track and Field/Cross Country at Ohio State University. Olympic Head Coach of the 2000 US Women's National Track & Field Team

"Running Against The Odds is a wonderful American story that speaks to all of us in our times of difficulties and hopelessness. It is a story of resiliency and triumph. I thank Coach Dunham for allowing us into his life so that we can find hope and perseverance regardless of the challenges we encounter in life."

- Irasema Salcido, Founder of Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy, Washington, DC

"Sports are special because nothing else provides such an amplification and roller coaster of emotions. Desmond Dunham captures this feeling perfectly, in a very personal way."

- Boo Schexnayder, Former Louisiana State University Field Event Coach and Former US Olympic Coach

"Coach Desmond Dunham understands the deep impact sports can have on a young person's life and, as such, has dedicated his life and career to coaching, inspiring, and advocating for youth. He is a mentor and teacher to all."

- Chris Farley, Owner of Pacers Running

From the Publisher