Books like A few seconds of panic by Stefan Fatsis

Drawing on rare access to an NFL team’s players, coaches and facilities, Stefan Fatsis, author of “Word Freak,” trains to become a professional-caliber placekicker. Over more than a year he works with a strength coach and a kicking instructor, then spends three months in 2006 training with the Denver Broncos. He occupies a locker, wears uniform #9, and participates in all required drills and practices, enduring the rigorous schedule, the high caloric intake, the hazing of rookies, and the risk of injury typical of NFL kickers. Throughout the experience Fatsis gains insight into the physical, psychological, and intellectual demands faced by pro athletes, as well as the inner workings of a top-flight football franchise, from coaching strategies to front‑office decisions. With wry candor and empathy, the book unveils the mind of the modern pro athlete and the operations of a storied sports franchise.

First publish date: 2008