Win Forever: Live, Work, and Play Like a Champion

by Pete Carroll, Yogi Roth, Kristoffer A. Garin

Overview

 

"I know that I'll be evaluated in Seattle with wins and losses, as that is the nature of my profession for the last thirty-five years. But our record will not be what motivates me. Years ago I was asked, 'Pete, which is better: winning or competing?' My response was instantaneous: 'Competing. . . because it lasts longer.'"

Pete Carroll is one of the most successful coaches in football today. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to national prominence, amassing a 97-19 record over nine seasons. Now he shares the championship-winning philosophy that led USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles. This same mind-set and culture will shape his program as he returns to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks.

Carroll developed his unique coaching style by trial and error over his career. He learned that you get better results by teaching instead of screaming, and by helping players grow as people, not just on the field. He learned that an upbeat, energetic atmosphere in the locker room can coexist with an unstoppable competitive drive. He learned why you should stop worrying about your opponents, why you should always act as if the whole world is watching, and many other contrarian insights.

Carroll shows us how the Win Forever philosophy really works, both in NCAA Division I competition and in the NFL. He reveals how his recruiting strategies, training routines, and game-day rituals preserve a team's culture year after year, during championship seasons and disappointing seasons alike.

Win Forever is about more than winning football games; it's about maximizing your potential in every aspect of your life. Carroll has taught business leaders facing tough challenges. He has helped troubled kids on the streets of Los Angeles through his foundation A Better LA. His words are true in any situation: "If you want to win forever, always compete."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101548394
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/02/2011
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	196,981
File size:	551 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Pete Carroll is the coach of the Seattle Seahawks. He previously spent nine years as the head coach of the USC Trojans football team. Before coming to USC, he was the head coach of the New York Jets and the New England Patriots and defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. Carroll is also known for his charity work and will donate a portion of his proceeds to A Better LA, his nonprofit organization devoted to reducing gang violence in the most crime-plagued neighborhoods of Los Angeles. He and his wife, Glena, have three grown children.

Kristoffer A. Garin is a journalist who has written for the New York Daily News and the Journal News in Westchester, New York.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1 Before the Philosophy

1 Beginning to Compete 9

2 Learning to Coach 18

3 The Inner Game of Football 30

4 Hard Lessons in New York 39

5 The 49ers Way 50

6 Getting Closer in New England 58

Part 2 The Power to Win Forever

7 Philosophy as the Foundation 77

8 Always Compete 84

9 Practice Is Everything 90

Part 3 Win Forever at USC

10 Getting the Job at USC 95

11 Laying Ground Rules 102

12 Coach Your Coaches 116

13 Coaches Are Teachers 127

14 Our Approach to Practice 138

15 Fourth and Nine 152

16 Our Recruiting Promise 161

17 Making It Fun 167

18 Playing in the Absence of Fear 177

19 Setting a Vision and Seeing It 183

20 Winning Forever On and Off the Field 189

Part 4 Win Forever Beyond the Field

21 Not Just Football 199

22 You Can Win Forever 207

Conclusion 215

Bonus Chapter: Competing in Seattle 219

Acknowledgments 229

Index 233

Editorial Reviews

"Pete Carroll is one of my favorite figures in America. He's the classic example of the fact that you don't have to be miserable to be a champion. You can actually have fun and make it fun."
-President Bill Clinton

"Pete Carroll presents great advice on how to be a winner in life. The twist is that the key is to focus on the process, not the outcome, and to compete hard in every way on your journey. It has certainly worked for Pete, who is a winner in so many ways, and it can work for anybody in all different aspects of life."
-NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

"During his time at USC Pete Carroll raised the bar in college football coaching with 7 straight BCS appearances, but as you'll read in Win Forever, his ultra competitive spirit and infectious energetic attitude have been the foundation to his many successes both on and off the field."
-Kirk Herbstreit, analyst for ESPN's College GameDay

"Coach Carroll is the fiercest competitor I know. Not only as a coach, but as a mentor and more importantly, a friend. That mentality allowed me to enter the NFL with the tools necessary for the highest level of competition. Furthermore, those traits transcended off the field and will offer a competitive edge for anyone who reads his book."
-Mark Sanchez

"Win Forever-it's not about wins and losses, it's about the competition within Pete's life. Reading his book, it's evident that he has a clear understanding that his job is more about creating an environment and foundation for young men that can better who they are every day on and off the field."
-Mia Hamm

"What impressed me about Pete is his contagious, positive approach and that his talents go far beyond what makes a great football coach. His philosophy of helping everyone be the best they can be makes sense in all aspects of everyday life. This will help everyone in our organization and will play a big part in defining the Seahawks' mindset and philosophy as we move forward."
-Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen

"If this book were just about football, it would be interesting but not compelling. Coach Carroll has something to say of importance to all of us who want to discover our potential as human beings. That he can win football games is beyond doubt, but that he can win over doubt itself is something special."
-Tim Gallwey, author of The Inner Game of Tennis, The Inner Game of Work, and The Inner Game of Stress

"Coach Carroll is one of the finest teachers in all of sport and one who I respect immensely. I'm just glad that he is now coaching in the NFL and not for our archrival anymore."
-John R. Wooden

From the Publisher