Title: Dad in a Cheer Bow
Author: Patrick Riccards
Publisher: Amazon Pro Hub
ISBN: 978-1956406986
Genre: Biography
Pages: 221
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Hollywood Book Reviews
There are many reasons to write a book. Some people want to tell a story, while others want the fame and glory of creating a piece of literary art. Some people use books as a time capsule to capture a moment in history which may not be big enough for the main stage. Dad in a Cheer Bow is a little of all of this, which makes it a surprisingly enthralling story.
Dad in a Cheer Bow is a family biography at its heart. It mainly centers around author Patrick Riccards’ ascension as one of his community’s few male cheerleading coaches. It all starts when his daughter, after trying many extracurricular activities, lands on cheerleading as her passion. What they think will be another passing fancy becomes something she is so dedicated to she brings her dad into the mix to be her coach. Riccards talks a lot about his feelings as a man coaching young girls, how it made him feel, and how he felt the community at large might view him.
Though it is clearly meant to be more of a personal story, there are some inspirational and historical aspects to the story as well. Although there is no cinematic comeback a la Mighty Ducks, we see the girls fight for their spot in tournaments and come so close to winning it tugs at your heart a little that there is not a more desirable outcome. Perhaps the most poignant part of the book is how Riccards’ cheer career ends, as it is a stark reminder of how uprooted our lives were not so long ago.
Patrick Riccards does an amazing job telling the story he wants to tell without any fluff. He shares the perfect amount of information that doesn’t leave the reader wanting more but doesn’t bore the reader by spending too much time on some of the drier parts of the story. Riccards also respects the idea that most readers won’t know much about cheer, so he does his best not to fill the book with unnecessary jargon.
Stories like this are the best because they are the most genuine. It is evident throughout this book that Patrick Riccards had a story in his heart which he felt the world should read. He is genuine and grateful throughout the book, and it will give you a refill of confidence, gratitude, and perseverance you might not have known you needed.