The trend of book clubs is gaining popularity among various groups, from celebrities like Dua Lipa and Reese Witherspoon to unexpected participants like professional athletes. In the NBA, San Antonio Spurs players Victor Wembanyama and Harrison Barnes are leading a book club initiative to involve more team members. Similarly, the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, including players such as Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli, have a book club where the reading choices are kept secretive.
Athletes from different leagues, such as the PWHL and the WNBA, including teams like Toronto Sceptres and Montreal Victoire, are also actively engaged in book clubs. For instance, Toronto Sceptres forward Claire Dalton initiated a book club with teammate Raygan Kirk, drawing inspiration from their previous experience in Montreal. The Sceptres’ book club meetings, held over coffee, involve discussions on various books like “Gone Before Goodbye” and “The Heir Apparent.”
The Toronto Tempo’s book club, spearheaded by guard Kia Nurse, was influenced by teammate Nyara Sabally, fostering camaraderie among players in their inaugural WNBA season. Nurse emphasized the significance of bonding through shared reading experiences, allowing teammates to understand each other better. Their first book, “It Should Have Been You” by Andrea Mara, was discussed during a plane journey, highlighting the convenience of book club meetings during travel.
Reading serves as an escape for athletes like Nurse, providing a break from the pressures of sports and offering a different form of self-expression. The impact of these book clubs goes beyond the teams, as evident from the community engagement initiatives by the Toronto Sceptres with The Children’s Book Bank. Collaborative events like Sceptres Storytime not only promote reading but also showcase diverse role models, encouraging children to embrace reading as a fun and enriching activity.
By incorporating activities like book clubs, professional sports teams are not only strengthening team dynamics but also making a positive impact on their communities through literacy promotion efforts.