Episode 19: Joe Cravens on sports and politics

Episode Description

Join us for a wide-ranging, entertaining conversation with a man who has done it all - retired coach and current broadcaster, Joe Cravens. Recently inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, Cravens was a successful division one men’s basketball coach at Weber State University and after he’d retired from coaching, answered a plea to help St. Joseph Catholic High School with their girls basketball program. He talks about the difference between teaching the game to teenage girls and college men - and also what doesn’t change, regardless of skill, gender or league. Coach Cravens spent his life teaching and talking about basketball, but he grew up playing and watching Major League Baseball. He chose a book about a pivotal time in history and how baseball, specifically the Dodger team led by Jewish pitcher Sandy Koufax and African-American infielder Maury Wills, played a role in changes in baseball and society. It’s a fascinating book with a lot to teach us about modern sports, and Coach Cravens is the perfect guide. Join us in reading The Last Innocents by Michael Leahy - our July book of the month!

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More about Coaches' Book Club

Sports are more than just games. Competition is a classroom for the human experience. While scoreboards declare winners and losers, the real value of athletics is the lessons that transcend any field of play. Lessons like perseverance, leadership, and resilience. And coaches are the people responsible for teaching these principles to athletes and fans alike. Have you ever wondered what shaped the philosophy or leadership style of your favorite coaches? A new podcast from KSL - Coach’s Book Club - asks coaches and athletes to share how their favorite books educated, changed or inspired them. Hosts David James and Amy Donaldson are veteran journalists who’ve covered everything from Olympic triumphs to high school heartbreaks. Each month, they'll introduce you to a coach and get their book club pick. Then, we'll read the book together and discuss the characters, themes and lessons. And we want to hear your take, too. This isn't just a podcast to listen to, it's a community. So join the coach's book club!