Chasing Influence

Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life

De: Troy Urdahl

Narrado por: Alex Freeman

Embark on a transformative journey with Coach Stick Olson in “Chasing Influence,” where heartbreak, resilience, and the power of coaching converge to change lives and redefine success beyond the scoreboard.

What is your purpose? Have you ever felt lost in your purpose, unsure of how to make a meaningful impact?

Are you struggling to navigate life's challenges, seeking guidance on resilience and leadership?

Do you yearn to inspire others and leave a lasting legacy, but feel uncertain about where to begin?

In “Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life,” Dr. Troy Urdahl tells a captivating story around Coach Stick Olson, whose journey from devastating loss to profound influence resonates with readers seeking purpose and direction. As Coach Olson rebuilds his life and the community ballfield, he imparts timeless wisdom to generations of players, revealing profound insights on relationships, leadership, and the true measure of success. Through engaging anecdotes and practical lessons, readers discover the transformative power of coaching beyond the game, finding inspiration to lead with purpose and impact in all areas of life.

•Gain invaluable insights on resilience, leadership, and the true meaning of success

•Learn from the transformative journey of Coach Stick Olson and his lifelong impact on others

•Explore practical lessons applicable to leadership roles in sports, business, and everyday life

•Discover the power of allyship, wellness, and self-care in navigating life’s challenges

•Be inspired to redefine success beyond the scoreboard and leave a lasting legacy

Join Coach Stick Olson on a journey of resilience, growth, and meaningful impact, and discover how you can make a difference in the lives of others. Don’t miss your chance to embark on a journey of inspiration and transformation. Grab your copy of “Chasing Influence” today and unlock the secrets to leading with purpose, resilience, and profound influence!

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

Chasing Influence 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 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.

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.... 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.

©2023 Junto Press (P)2024 Junto Press

Reseñas de la Crítica

"St. Anthony coach writes a book, and it's a winner" Reviewed by Cynthia Sowden, editor of the Northeaster Newspaper (Minneapolis, Minn.)

What do you do when you're on vacation, contract COVID-19 and your family goes home, leaving you to isolate in your Mexican hotel room? If you're Troy Urdahl, you write a book.

Urdahl, director of athletics and activities at St. Anthony High School, published his book, "Chasing Influence," late last year. And no, it's not a COVID memoir.

Although it talks a great deal about coaching, it's not a how-to-book for baseball coaches, either, even though Urdahl has taken the Huskies to two state baseball championships and been named state baseball coach of the year twice.

"Chasing Influence" opens with a story about "Stick" Olson, a fictional coach in Wassail Falls where townball is a major summer pastime. The narrative follows Stick around the baseball field as he prepares it for the first game after a fire burned the bleachers and clubhouse down a few years prior. As former players show up for the big day, they help their old mentor and talk with reporter Pat Fulda about what makes Stick such a great coach.

In between these team "reminiscences," Urdahl gives examples of transformational coaching. Bullet points at the beginning of each chapter offer little nuggets such as "Be mercilessly redundant with your communication - never assume that because you know something, others do, too," "Coach the person first and the athlete second" or, "Use your words to build up others. If they don't, find new words."

He then goes on to hammer home his point with a pertinent example, some drawn from baseball, some from history, one of Urdahl's favorite subjects. In the chapter, "Integrity: Show Your Mettle," he discusses how Abraham Lincoln and a business partner bought a general store. It went bankrupt. Lincoln vowed to repay every cent he owed - it took him 15 years. In the same manner, Stick Olson taught his players to be persons of integrity.

The lessons taught in this book are not solely about coaching athletes; the same principles can be applied equally by boardroom chairs, small business owners, or the lead alto in a choir. Nor is it preachy; Urdahl has a natural flair for writing, and his prose is easy to read.

Although the book contains some of Urdahl's experiences, he is not Stick Olson. That honor goes to Tink Larson, who's coached baseball in Waseca, Minn., for 63 years. For his part, Larson wrote in the afterword, "It's not just having a solid knowledge of fundamentals and strategy that makes a good coach. Being a good coach has to do with the relationships formed with the players and the respect they build in each other."

Excellent

This is an outstanding guide for anyone interested in what coaching should be. This is a must for all new and current coaches from youth to pros.

A Must Read/Listen for all coaches

The author, Troy Udall, waves the story of stick Olson in with a lot of parables, proverbs and profound words to show the impact of his main character on the people of a small town in Minnesota. There are so many important messages in this book. I highly recommend that folks take the time to really pay attention to the impact that a coach can have on community.
Building relationships, teaching life lessons, teaching how to play the game the right way, listening to your players, and having a growth mindset really show how Tink Larson was able to affect his community in such a profound way. Tink “Stick Olson” dealt with tragedies in life, but he was able to see his way to the other side because of his mindset and positivity. It’s a great story!

Great Narration

Alex Freeman was the perfect voice for the stories and lessons shared in Chasing Influence!

Impactful

I enjoyed and appreciated Chasing Influence. Thank you for sharing your philosophies and impactful concepts of what is truly important.