This is a book that is more about just basketball but about learning and graduating high school moving on with your life from the Bronx, that you can do more and become more. An excellent book.

For a high school basketball coach, the job entails so much more than just the X's and O's of the game - it involves being very involved in the lives of the players as well. If the coach is also a teacher at the school, that adds another layer of mentorship. Marc Skelton describes all of these responsibilities - and his team's success on the court during the 2016-17 season - in this very good memoir. He shares his life story, many stories of his players, current and past, and also some thoughts on the New York City school system. Overall, the book is very good despite the jumping around from topic to topic - that doesn't overshadow the wonderful prose he shares. This is a book basketball junkies will want to read.

What exactly does a high school basketball coach do? Roll the balls out? Draw some Xs and Os on the whiteboard/ clipboard thingy? Rehearse your halftime speeches? Perception vs Reality.

Marc Skelton has made teaching and coaching his calling. From the type of school he has chosen to work at to the relationships he builds with his colleagues, students, and players, he is all in, every day. His book touches on the multitude of tasks required to build a successful high school program, but this narrative does not end there. He weaves his personal journey to teaching and coaching, his thoughts on the NYC public school system (especially the benefits of a small school environment), and the challenges of working in the Bronx. Skelton does all this while telling the story of the 16-17 basketball season. His voice is many things: resilient, determined, fearful at times, but most of all, honest.

My only criticism is that shorter chapters may take away from the reader being able to focus on a single narrative. But the messages of the story does come across loud and clear.

Although Skelton has succeeded in terms of wins and losses, that is hardly what this book is about. Pounding the Rock should serve as a call to action for lawmakers, a testament to quality teaching, and an inspiration to fellow coaches. 

Personal Note: I did twenty years in a high school dugout in a suburban school in California, so I understand just a tiny bit of the day-to-day struggles and joys of coaching. I would like to say kudos to Coach Skelton. Congrats on your efforts and I wish you future success.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Doubleday Books, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

I have to preface this review with the following statement. I was for many years a teacher and a basketball coach.

This was a very interesting read. It is not so much a basketball story, as a story about life for teens. Coach Skelton uses his classroom, school, and team as a format to help young men through difficult situations. Not only the teenage years, but also the environment in which they reside. Just surviving is a challenge, avoiding the pull of the streets.

This is a well written book which shows insight into the daily lives of the coach and the youngsters in his charge. It also shows the life and stresses of a coach that many fans don't see or understand.

I commend Coach Skelton for his continued efforts within his school and team. This stuff can wear you out!

A very well written and enjoyable read!