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Hard Work: A Life On and Off the Court Audiobook
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(4.01) - 264 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Roy Williams, head coach of the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team, the Tar Heels, has the highest winning percentage in NCAA history. Over the last seven years, the 58-year-old Asheville, N.C., native—who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007—has won 205 games, including 24 in the NCAA Tournament. That’s more Final Fours, more wins, and more NCAA Tournament victories than any basketball coach in the nation. Hard Work tells the story of Roy Williams’ life that few people know, in Williams’ own distinct and colorful way—his troubled upbringing, his college years, his years of trying to make ends meet before becoming a head coach. It reveals how determination took him from an impoverished home in the mountains of North Carolina to the very pinnacle of coaching success, culminating in the 2009 NCAA National Championship (his second in five years). And it pulls back the curtain on one of college basketball’s most guarded programs as witnessed by one of the most successful, dominant coaches, at the prime of his power. Coach Williams describes himself as the most competitive person on earth, admitting that he once got into a game of pool with Michael Jordan that nearly ended in a fistfight. In addition to providing a fresh look at Jordan, Hard Work will chronicle Williams’ connection with such basketball luminaries as Paul Pierce, Kirk Hinrich, Jacque Vaughn, Phil Ford, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Sean May, and Rashad McCants, along with Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson, all of whom Williams credits with having earned him the highest winning percentage in NCAA history. Hard Work is an inspirational story of what can be achieve by anyone who commits to a dream.
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"I love Roy's beliefs, story and principles.Makes you absolutely trust him as a coach and as a person. Also makes you feel lucky you went to school at UNC.I'm not Tarheel born nor Tarheel bred but i'll bleed blue til I'm Tarheel dead! "
— Jay (5 out of 5 stars)
Hard Work Listener Reviews
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" This was a great overview of Coach Roy Williams life and career as the basketball coach of Kansas and North Carolina. "
— Jennifer, 1/28/2014 -
" it's easy to read an autobiography about your favorite bball team's coach. "
— joelene, 1/24/2014 -
" An awesome overview of Roy's life with some fun insights about his teams! "
— Abby, 1/18/2014 -
" ROY <3 "
— A., 1/13/2014 -
" Only gave 3 bc im a heels fan... "
— Alston, 12/9/2013 -
" A good read about Roy Williams and how/why he lives/coaches the way he does. "
— Natalie, 12/4/2013 -
" Ol' Roy isn't going to win any writing awards any time soon, but that's OK--he wins enough basketball games! Not really such a compelling life story, but there's plenty here to interest any serious Tar Heel basketball fans. "
— Ken, 11/16/2013 -
" It was a great read as a Tarheel fan but no one outside the family is going to find it interesting. It seems Roy Williams created UNC's dynasty by convincing Dean Smith to go after Michael Jordan. Four national titles later we found ourselves in The NIT. "
— Ryan, 11/10/2013 -
" Great book about a great coach who happens to be a solid all-around man. "
— David, 8/9/2013 -
" Hard to believe I could love UNC more but I do after reading this book. I am a huge Roy Williams fan! "
— Becca, 4/27/2013 -
" Dude, totally. "
— Ram, 10/20/2012 -
" Easy to read, good story about an ordinary fellow maturing into a dadgum extraordinary college basketball coach. I liked Roy before. I like him more now. "
— Ed, 10/16/2012 -
" Good book. Definitely learned things about Roy Williams that I didn't know before. As a Carolina alum, it was hard to read the chapter about his decision to stay at Kansas. It wasn't any more fun to read than it was to watch it happen the first time. "
— Melyssa, 7/21/2012 -
" Enjoyed the book for its tidbits of info that was new to me. It was pretty cheesy but Roy is a cheesy guy. I think the author did well in using Roy's voice. "
— Jenny, 6/21/2012 -
" This book is one of the best books I have ever read. It tells about the great game of basketball. Soon I will be playing for him and after I read this book, Im glad I accepted a schoolership. Thanks coach. "
— Lebron, 7/19/2011 -
" LOVE ROY! "
— Mary, 6/10/2011 -
" Great Coach who has lived a blessed life that he earned through hard work and dedication. "
— Michael, 4/12/2011 -
" Haha all of you Duke fans can suck it Roy Williams is awsome "
— Clayton, 2/15/2011 -
" It was a great read as a Tarheel fan but no one outside the family is going to find it interesting. It seems Roy Williams created UNC's dynasty by convincing Dean Smith to go after Michael Jordan. Four national titles later we found ourselves in The NIT. "
— Ryan, 11/19/2010 -
" Great book about a great coach who happens to be a solid all-around man. "
— David, 3/7/2010 -
" Easy to read, good story about an ordinary fellow maturing into a dadgum extraordinary college basketball coach. I liked Roy before. I like him more now. "
— Ed, 1/25/2010 -
" Hard to believe I could love UNC more but I do after reading this book. I am a huge Roy Williams fan! "
— Becca, 1/10/2010 -
" An awesome overview of Roy's life with some fun insights about his teams! "
— Abby, 12/28/2009 -
" Only gave 3 bc im a heels fan... "
— Alston, 12/25/2009 -
" This book is a little corny but I believe Roy is real and also he just happens to be the best coach of the best basketball program in the country…..GO HEEELS! "
— Mark, 12/16/2009
About the Authors
Roy Williams is the current head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina.
Tim Crothers is a former senior writer at Sports Illustrated. He is the author of The Man Watching, the biography of University of North Carolina women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance, and coauthor of Hard Work, the autobiography of UNC basketball coach Roy Williams. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with his wife and two children.
About Alan Winter
Alan Winter is an audiobook narrator whose readings include Hard Work by Roy Williams and Sexual Intelligence by Marty Klein, among others.