My book encourages a sports-led evolution towards a healthy masculinity impacting the wider community. Boys grow up to be good men via good role-modelling from men - period.

Masculinity is learned, it is a societal construct that changes with time and from culture to culture—different to maleness which is biological and fixed. Today with fewer males in school teaching, with single parent families common, with visual media widespread, masculinity is significantly influenced by sportsmen’s behaviour—on and off the field. Read more »

Extract from Kicking a Goal for Masculinity: In today’s fast moving society, there are many confusing and mixed messages about how to be a “real man.” This is magnified in sport, be it played at school, community or national level. Many pressures cause some men to conform to unhealthy models of masculinity. This is heightened amongst sportsmen, especially in the contact sports.

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Introduction:

A quote by Alex Karras encapsulates what my book is about. Karras was a famous US footballer who played with the Detroit Lions in the 60s and 70s. He was also a professional wrestler, actor and writer, starring in Blazing Saddles and TV sitcoms.

He said: ‘It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more “manhood” to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind.’ Read more »