There can’t be too many others who’ve had so many experiences in common. I’ve traveled with teams from Montenegro, Tunisia, Chinese Taipei and Lithuania. I’ve conducted clinics in Grenada and the black townships of South Africa. I’ve lived in Asia and Lawrence, Kans. I knew Coach McLendon. And I’ve coached against the Bear and used some of his tactics.

—Craig Jonas, Highlands Ranch, Colo.


Those in international hoops circles know Craig as a member of the International Committee of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. This year he and his company, The Jonas Group, will be staging two tournaments of interest in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The first, to be held in early July, is the 16th Caribbean Basketball Championships, in which Cuba will participate for the first time. The second is an NCAA-sanctioned “exempt” event, the Paradise Jam, for men’s and women’s college teams, that is set for November.

In addition, he’s finishing up his doctoral dissertation on conflict management and coaching college basketball.

I grew up on the ’80s Celtics, started playing ball when I was seven, and never stopped. I played seriously in high school and semi-seriously in college, then continued playing in winter and summer leagues until last April, when I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee. The surgery forced me to play softball, and when fall rolled around my desire to play hoops had faded. I remember, right after graduating from college, talking to guys who were a little older who said they’d lost the bug around 28 or 30 and never gotten it back. I hated myself for it, but I just figured my time had come.

Your book brought it back. Within the first 10 pages, I started getting sick again.

There are good runs on Saturday mornings at my local Y. I played some half-assed games of 5-on-5 with a group of high schoolers and got embarrassed. I literally couldn't sleep that night thinking I’d completely lost it. Over the next week I shot around (for form) and rode the bike (for wind), all to prepare for Saturday.

On Saturday morning I was the first one there to make sure I got in the initial game. Teams get picked and I'm standing next to my man, waiting for check ball. I’m smiling. I’m thinking that I hadn’t played a serious game of 5-on-5 for over a year after doing so at least once a week for most of my life. I was so happy again to be on the court that I played off and on for the next two and a half hours and loved every painful minute of it. I actually held my own with some ex-college players and solid 35- to 40-year-olds, and I can’t wait to play again this Saturday, and every Saturday after that when I can.

This is a long way of saying thank you for writing this book and giving one long-time ballplayer his bug back. When I was out there on Saturday, I’d forgotten how much I missed playing. That day, and your book, reminded me how much I love the game and don’t ever want to stop playing.

—Pete Wilson, Quincy, Mass.

I’ve got nothing to add, but my wife does: “Don’t forget to stretch!”


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