Testimonials
I am thankful to have played college baseball for Coach Morris and so glad he has taken the time to write this guide. Coach was instrumental in our development as student-athletes by emphasizing the importance of school first, helping us create good studying habits, being on time, holding us accountable, and doing things the “right way”.
Coach based his coaching philosophy on John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success along with other ideas on mental toughness, focus on what you can control, and visualization which are major topics in the book. Overall, this guide will help provide a wide perspective of concepts and suggestions on what it takes to become a successful student-athlete.
(David DeSanty – JWU Graduate/Baseball Player ’98, President CCRG)
“Today is the first day of your career in the sports management industry and you are in control of your own destiny.” These are the words that new students have heard for over 20 years as students in Professor “Coach” Morris’ classroom at JWU. Guided by his personal commitment to excellence, Coach shared his philosophy for success in and out of the classroom. For the over 30 years that we worked together, Coach Morris was committed to putting the students’ success first.
In this book you will find a plethora of information, resources, and advice for student-athletes on and off the field. There are a lot of issues and challenges today that student-athletes have to navigate in order to achieve success and the strategies that you will find in this handbook will serve as a guide for achieving and controlling their own destiny.
(Professor Elizabeth Covino – Associate Professor - JWU SEEM Program)
“I have worked with Dave in the past and I love the fact that he is putting his years of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and advising to work by writing this book. He is a fantastic educator, and I can’t think of a better person to write a book like this.
Student-Athletes: Control Your Own Destiny is a groundbreaking resource for aspiring coaches and current coaches across all sports and participation levels. This new handbook provides comprehensive content and powerful messaging for future generations of coaches, with an emphasis on a holistic approach to coaching. As a result, I have chosen to adopt Student-Athletes: Control Your Own Destiny as a required textbook for the Fundamentals of Coaching course I teach. A must have resource for student-athletes, athletic administrators, and coaches!
(Dr. Patrick Leary – Program Coordinator & Associate Professor of Sport Management – Dean College)
I was fortunate to have had Professor Morris for several classes while I majored in the Sports, Entertainment and Event Management program at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI. I can say that Professor Morris is the epitome of an educator who truly cares about his students and every facet of their lives. On the first day of my Introduction to the SEEM course, Professor Morris told our class that we are in control of our own destiny. After completing college and reflecting back on my experience as a student-athlete at JWU, this proclamation could not be truer.
I strongly believe that this handbook can serve as a guide for many student-athletes to “take control of their own destiny.” Throughout this handbook, Professor Morris zeroes in on some of the most important qualities, habits, and values that one should possess to become the best version of themselves on and off the field/court. In addition, this handbook can also serve as a valuable tool for coaches, parents, educators, and family members who care about the success of their players, children, students, and loved ones.