John Pfitsch (1919-2012), coach at Grinnell College for 50 years, and Barbara Waite, former chair of the Sport Psychology Program at The University of Iowa, square off to scrutinize theories and philosophies behind 100% performance, Coach Pfitsch's term for the best his athletes had to offer. Using Coach Pfitsch's typewritten manuscript from the 1980s, hours of recorded interviews, and a little imagination, a conversation between Barbara Waite and Coach Pfitsch's ghost reveals more than just how to win athletic contests. Coach Pfitsch's ideas, developed throughout his career at University of Kansas, Midland College and Grinnell College, come alive through his extraordinary stories and lively conversation in From Underdog to Winner: In Pursuit of 100% Performance.
"John Pfitsch's 'out-of-the-box, ' progressive approach to training athletes makes me wish I'd been one of his players," says Bob Rotella, Ph. D., performance consultant and author of How Champions Think. "Coaches and athletes are in the best position to observe and study the phenomena occurring on the field and court."
"Not so fast," says Barbara Waite, sport psychologist, and self-appointed interrupter of John Pfitsch stories. Before drawing any conclusions, she wants to see what research has to say about the coach's ideas.
In From Underdog to Winner this unlikely duo explores what it takes for teams, individuals, even underdogs facing formidable odds, to produce their best performance possible.
About the Author: John Alfred Pfitsch (1919-2012) was born in Miraj, India to medical missionary parents. He moved back to the United States at the age of five where his life plan was influenced by years of youth sport, high school and college athletics. He played all major and many minor sports from season to season at Pflugerville High School, Texas Lutheran Junior College, and University of Texas at Austin where he graduated in 1940. His graduate education at The University of Kansas was interrupted by World War II when he served in the 35th Division of the Army, landing on Utah Beach on Day 3 of D-Day. He returned to Kansas in the Fall of 1945 to graduate with a master's in physical education and serve as Phog Allen's first assistant coach in the 1945-46 basketball season. He met Emily Hollis at University of Kansas. They were married on August 3, 1946 and moved to Fremont, NE, where he coached all sports and taught physical education at Midland College. In 1948 he was hired to coach basketball, tennis, and football at Grinnell College. He became athletic director in 1953. During his 50-year career at Grinnell, he expanded women's intercollegiate sport programs and eventually coached almost every men's sport. John Pfitsch is also co-author of Pfitsch Tales: 50 Years of Grinnell College Athletics with Suzanne Kelsey.
Barbara Teetor Waite grew up in Ft. Wayne, Indiana playing all the major sports from season to season in her back yard and neighborhood. She was fortunate to live in a city offering a youth baseball league initially organized to feed the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which gave her the opportunity to play competitive baseball. Summer camp broadened her sport knowledge and skills. United States Tennis Association tournaments challenged her to compete in tennis. She pursued athletics, competitive flying, and a general studies curriculum at The U. of Arizona. She earned a master's and doctorate in sport psychology at The U. of Virginia. As a visiting assistant professor, she directed the Sport Psychology Program at The U. of Iowa. She coached tennis and softball, taught physical education, and directed the staff/faculty wellness program at Grinnell College. Barbara continues to pursue writing, music, and the "silent" sports of hiking, biking, paddling, and sailing. She credits her family for instilling her life-long love of learning. Her writing can be found on line, in bookstores, and at frendshippublications.com.
