Get Off The Bench

Create Value Through Relationships Are you someone who gets off the bench and into the game by realizing the value and importance of people and networking, or do you stay on the bench and on the sidelines altogether? Strategic networking will help you create powerful relationships, achieve goals, and most importantly, give you the opportunity to help those in need. Get off the Bench takes you through stories, concepts, techniques, and numerous examples of how strategic networking is accomplished, what is to be avoided, and how value is created for everyone involved. As technology, globalization, and world events continually drive for and demand more connectivity, building and maintaining a powerful network is more important than it has ever been.

Our lives are in a constant state of change. We move from times of extreme confidence and accelerated performance to times of disappointment and discouragement. As the speed of life increases, we sometimes feel like we are wasting our potential on the bench rather than achieving success by flying down the ice. In this revised, updated and expanded edition, Ryan Walter explores performance using techniques he learned during 15 years in the NHL. Subjects range from mental toughness and choosing successful habits of thought to leadership and the differences between being a player, a team player and a leader.

There are five guys on the Wildcats who always start, and forward Daniel Friedland isn't one of them. But when the star forward goes on vacation, Daniel gets his chance at the spotlight. It's his turn to shine. Daniel has worked hard at improving his free throws, but he's terrible at layups, and everybody knows it. He'll need to work hard if he wants to be a starting Wildcat.

The Bench chronicles the life of a compulsive gambler that takes his addiction to depths most cannot imagine, only to discover that the horrors of addiction would be necessary for the amazing transformation that happened in his recovery. Author Joel Elston recounts his journey through addiction, depression, and eventual recovery and how an old bench on a beach plays a pivotal role over a twenty year span. This brutally honest account of his life is a roller coaster of emotion with an unforeseen twist that even the Author didn’t see coming, will leave you speechless.

From the nationally syndicated cartoonist of “In the Bleachers” comes a new, highly illustrated middle grade series about Steve, who plays the same position in every sport: bench-warmer. Perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Timmy Failure, King of the Bench is an ode to teammates, underdogs, and bench-warmers everywhere. Steve is King of the Bench. No brag. It’s just a fact. But this year, Steve and his friends are excited to try out for the Spiro T. Agnew Middle School baseball team. The only problem is, after watching another player get beaned by a fastball, Steve has developed a serious case of bean-o-phobia—the fear of getting hit by a pitch. If Steve ever wants to get off the bench and get in the game, he’s going to have to muster up some courage, and fast. Oh, and if you’re wondering why Steve would write a book and tell total strangers all about the humiliating phobia that almost ruined his first year on the baseball team? Duh. It’s pretty much a rule that you spill your guts when you write a book about yourself.

They are motivators, key strategists, tough bosses, and choreographers. They can be branded as heroes, ousted as scapegoats, quietly valued as friends, and everything in between. It's all in the job description for an NHL head coach. In Behind the Bench, ESPN's Craig Custance sits down for film sessions and candid conversations with some of the game's most notable modern luminaries—names like Mike Babcock, Joel Quenneville, Dan Bylsma, Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock, and Claude Julien—all of whom share their singular views on topics ranging from leadership secrets to on-ice game plans. Dissect some of hockey's greatest moments with the men who set the pieces in motion. Go straight to the source on what it's like to manage a dressing room full of the league's top stars or execute line changes with everything at stake. Signature games, including Stanley Cup finals, Olympic gold medal clashes, and World Championship contests—both wins and losses—are reflected upon and broken down in detail, making this essential reading for current and aspiring coaches, players, and hockey fans alike.