If you’re looking for an empowering, inspirational sports-related memoir, look no further!

In Hometown Victory, Lowe tells readers of his journey going from an NFL coach to coaching a high school football team with a 23-game losing streak 😅 Lowe describes his hard work in getting this team to work together, try hard, and eventually become conference champions.

While this memoir centers on football, it’s about so much more. Lowe talks about finding your calling and the role of fate. Lowe wasn’t sure why he ended up back at that high school, but he got his answer when he disarmed a teenager who entered the school with a gun. Lowe embraced the teenager and told him that he cared about him 🥹 This memoir is about service, passion, and gratitude, all of which Lowe embodies.

Fans of The Blindside, Remember the Titans, and Friday Night Lights—check out this memoir!!!

Huge thanks to @flatironbooks, @netgalley, and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this ALC. Release date was May 10.

Among many, many other reasons I wish I was born/grew up in the States is getting to experience high school football. I remember when I was in Texas and I saw a high school stadium and I was truly blown away by how enormous it was. In the years since, I've learned how much life high school football injects into a town.

I also have fairly firm ideas of what kind of coaches can get the job done effectively, both for the players and for the program, and as Keanon illustrates so beautifully in this book, at the high school level it is about helping boys become men, especially those who don't have positive role models or stability in their home lives. The passion was just palpable and it really felt like Keanon was doing this job for all of the right reasons. I mean, why else would someone with an NFL position come home to Portland Oregon to coach a high school team that hasn't won in their last 23 games?

Also, this was my first experience listening to Landon Woodson's narrative skills and me oh my, I was a fan!! I usually like to listen to the author narrate when it's a biography/memoir but there was nothing lost by having an outside party narrate.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves football, a fantastic David vs Goliath story, or anyone involved with investing in/molding youth in some capacity.

4 star read!

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this audiobook, but as a fan of the blindside and other motivational stories, I thought I’d give this a chance. I’m glad I did. While a lot of it is football stories and plays, which I didn’t totally understand 😂, most of it was relating the discipline and work of the field into use off the field.
Keonon Lowe was a gifted college athlete who found himself coaching at Parkrose high school after trying out assistant coaching in the NFL. Parkrose had a losing reputation so when he takes over, he has more than just football to teach these boys. He needs to teach them confidence and how to connect to each other as a team. Lowe finds a way to inspire them with his no nonsense ways that strike a balance between compassion and toughness that the boys all need since they come from rough upbringings and need to learn that the sum is greater than its parts.
Equal parts Educational, inspirational and motivational, this will speak to anyone who needs a boost and to feel like they’re capable of more than they think they are.
Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.