Youngsters need positive mentors and role models, especially when they grow up in one of our country's 16 million single parent families - or as latchkey kids coming home to a house left empty by working parents. (Approximately 35 million US households fit that description.)

Ronnie Lott, retired All-Pro safety who played football for the 49ers, Raiders, and Jets, is the kind of principled athlete and human being kids can emulate. He remains before the public eye in his role as a football analyst on Fox TV Network's "NFL Sunday." Ronnie's interest in children has found expression in his non-profit foundation ALL-STARS HELPING KIDS and through his frequent participation in football summer camps for aspiring young athletes.

Now a new book, TACKLING LIFE HEAD ON - Lessons For Kids' Lives with Ronnie Lott as "Coach" provides another avenue for Lott's mentoring capabilities. Using quotes from Ronnie's 1991 autobiography TOTAL IMPACT as a springboard, author Manuel J. Costa, a licensed psychotherapist in San Jose, California, offers motivational and value-centered wisdom to youngsters ages 10 to 15. Ronnie himself has written the foreword to the book, which is filled with stories and examples that kids can relate to. The nine short chapters have titles like "Be Who You Are," "Own Your Mistakes," "Stand up Front," and "Live From Your Heart." They offer youngsters a "playbook" with strategies to meet the challenges of life. (Parents will also find the book helpful.) Each chapter is accompanied by lively pen and ink drawings done by two teenagers. (One of them is the author's daughter!) And the book includes a series of pictures of Ronnie as a boy and young man.

Costa brings to TACKLING LIFE HEAD ON not only his insight as a family therapist and seminar leader, but also his experience as the father of three children, all of whom are now teenagers. His love of football and appreciation for the sterling qualities of Ronnie Lott are also evident in this, his second, book.

Ronnie Lott's portion of the proceeds form the sale of TACKLING LIFE HEAD ON will go to two non-profit organizations: his own ALL-STARS HELPING KIDS and Boomer Esiason's HEROES FOUNDATION. Esiason's group helps children with cystic fibrosis, a disease which afflicts his own son, Gunnar.

Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, quarterback Boomer Esiason, and basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal give high praise to TACKLING LIFE HEAD ON. Their statements are included in an attachment.

"Ronnie Lott was the most inspirational and intense player with whom I ever played. I consider him an expert on motivation and I know Tackling Life Head On will inspire and motivate our youth."
-Boomer Esiason

"This book goes straight to the hoop! It's a real slam-dunk that kids should abide by." -Shaquille O'Neal

"I'm glad that Ronnie lott's true greatness is finding through Tackling Life Head On yet another way to have a positive impact on the lives of youngsters."
-Bill Walsh

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