Run to the Roar: Coaching to Overcome Fear

The winningest coach in NCAA history shares his lessons on building and coaching teams of champions.

For 202 consecutive dual matches over the past eleven years, the Trinity men's squash team has gone unbeaten. No other team in any collegiate sport has achieved the same sustained level of greatness. Run to the Roar is the story of a coach who succeeds in recruiting young men from around the world, getting them to work as a team, managing personalities, calming egos, and encouraging daily effort and focus under pressure. The book's framework is the finals of the 2009 national intercollegiate team championships. As Trinity scrapes out a 5-4 victory over Princeton, Assaiante imparts the insights and experiences that have made him a master coach. In stark contrast to his Trinity dynasty, Assaiante also openly discusses the deep emotional turmoil he faces as the parent of a heroin addict. Run to the Roar is not just a book about squash; it is an invaluable and unique reflection on mentoring, leadership, and parenting from one of the most innovative and successful coaches in collegiate athletics.

Paul Assaiante has coached the men's squash and tennis teams at Trinity College in Hartford since 1994. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut. James Zug is an award-winning author of six books, including the definitive history of squash in America. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware.