Title/Author:
“The
Legacy of Maggie Dixon: A Leader on the Court and in Life” by Jack Grubbs
Tags:
Basketball,
college, biography, coaching, women, Army
Publish
date:
November 15, 2018
Length:
238 pages
Rating:
5 of 5
stars (outstanding)
Review:
Few coaches have ever left as big an impression in
only one season as the one left at the United States Military Acadamy by Maggie
Dixon. She was the head coach when the Army Black Knight’s made their first ever
appearance in the NCAA women’s basketball championship tournament in 2006. The
28-year-old coach brought a wealth of basketball smarts and communication
skills to a downtrodden program and made the team THE talk of the campus. Her life,
which ended far too soon the following summer, is captured in this wonderful
book by Jack Grubbs.
Not only does the reader learn much about Dixon but
also about the life of cadets at West Point and many of the traditions. This
information and setting is important as it illustrates even more vividly how
Dixon made an impression on her players, the student body and the officers in
charge of the athletic program. Even though she never served in the military
and was not raised in a military family, Dixon adapted quickly to the regimented
lifestyle and guided her players to be at their best in academics and military duties
as well as basketball.
Dixon’s family was a basketball family as her
brother Jamie was a successful men’s coach, most notably at the University of Pittsburgh.
When reading about Maggie Dixon the person, the reader will immediately see a
smart, charming and witty young woman who impressed everyone who knew her. Her sudden death from cardiomyopathy left
West Point in shock. Very rarely will a
civilian be buried on the grounds of the academy, but because Dixon left such a
mark on the campus, the officials made the decision to do so.
The writing about basketball is also very good, especially
when covering important games such as those against Navy, the championship game
of the Partriot League against Holy Cross and the defeat at the hands of the powerful
Connecticut Huskies in the NCAA tournament. Much is also written about the
players that Dixon coached. Not only are
their basketball skills discussed, but also their academic and military ups and
downs as well.
This is more than just an excellent basketball book
about an excellent basketball coach. It is a book that captures the human spirit
of a driven and successful woman who was taken away from her team and her livelihood
far too soon.
I wish to thank Rowman & Littlefield for
providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Book
Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)
Buying Links:
I remember when she died so suddenly. Too sad. I'll have to give this book a read, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteIt is excellent - you will enjoy it.
ReplyDelete