"5 Stars!"     Reviewed by Zahid Sheikh for Readers' Favorite

Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life by Troy Urdahl is a motivating and insightful book that offers a comprehensive guide to coaching for personal and professional growth. Urdahl's approach is focused on not only achieving success but also fostering lasting and meaningful transformation in individuals' lives. The book revolves around transformational coaching, which goes beyond simply achieving goals and delves into the process of self-discovery, mindset shifts, and holistic growth. Through different stories, the author emphasizes nurturing a solid foundation of values, purpose, and character. This sets the book apart from traditional coaching manuals. Urdahl encourages coaches to foster genuine connections, use active listening, and have a strong sense of responsibility toward their clients. This holistic approach to coaching ensures that individuals achieve their goals and experience personal growth that positively impacts all areas of their lives.

Troy's writing style is clear, engaging, and highly informative. He skillfully combines personal anecdotes, real-world examples, and practical coaching strategies to create a well-rounded narrative. The book is structured in a way that is easy to follow, with concepts building upon each other as the reader progresses. The author's insights into the coaching process are both profound and accessible. The author's coaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of understanding and working with individuals as unique beings, allowing coaches to tailor their approach to each person's needs. Troy Urdahl's dedication to creating lasting transformation and his emphasis on ethical coaching make this book a relevant and practical guide for both aspiring and experienced coaches alike.

"Loved it!"     Reviewed by Susan Griggs for Reedsy Discovery

A masterful fusion of storytelling and leadership principles that inspires coaches to shape athletes into champions on and off the field.

Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life follows the inspiring journey of baseball coach Stick Olson. Through Olson's story, author Dr. Troy Urdahl explores the transformative power of coaching, showing how purpose-driven leadership can affect athletes far beyond the playing field. The book entwines heartfelt narratives with practical wisdom, offering readers valuable lessons about resilience, relationships and redefining success.

Chasing Influence is a charming blend of fiction and non-fiction that provides a blueprint for coaches and leaders to create game-changing experiences for their athletes. Through the fictional character of Stick Olson, Urdahl weaves a compelling narrative that illustrates the profound and far-reaching impact a coach can have on athletes.

The book's structure is both engaging and informative. A section called  "The Lesson," follows each chapter and provides more illustrations and clever tie-ins to the main theme. This format lets readers easily digest and apply the principles throughout the book.

Urdahl's writing shines in his ability to create vivid characterizations that bring the characters to life. For example, "There was a small scar on his face from the time a teammate threw a bullhead, and the fish hit him on the cheek. As a ballplayer, Rube was smart and fundamentally sound. He ran like he was ice skating, with his feet staying close to the ground with a kind of side-to-side stride."

One of the book's strengths lies in its versatility. Urdahl seamlessly incorporates historical anecdotes, facts and quotes to support his leadership lessons while reimagining familiar stories and fables in fresh, thought-provoking ways. This approach makes the book's teachings memorable and easily shareable.

Drawing from his extensive experience as a teacher, coach and athletic director, Urdahl offers a wealth of knowledge that will undoubtedly improve the quality of coaching for those who apply its lessons. This book is not just about winning games; it's about shaping young lives and building champions on and off the field.

I highly recommend Chasing Influence. While coaches and sports enthusiasts will enjoy the material, the book's appeal extends to others off the playing field. Business professionals will appreciate Urdahl's fresh approach to leadership principles. The author's blend of storytelling and practical wisdom sets it apart from typical leadership books. Whichever role you play, whether on a team or in the boardroom, the lessons outlined in this book provide valuable tools for personal growth and success.