"This wasn't part of the game plan..."
After a second advanced cancer diagnosis, Coach Mike O'Neill found himself reflecting on how his journey through life and sports had prepared him for the ultimate test and foe-cancer.
In his memoir, the beloved Tennessee high school football coach shares the experiences that shaped his approach to life, love, and work. Lessons from the gridiron provided O'Neill a foundation of strength for the unforeseen battles off the field. From the love story and struggles in building a family with his incredible soulmate, discovering his passion for mentoring youth, enduring the risks and rewards of working his dream job while seeking harmony within his home, to the eventual first cancer diagnosis and seeking treatment... O'Neill embodies how passion, love, determination, and faith have carried him through the tougher plays of his life-the unexpected moments that threatened to take him off his game plan and the moments he had to surrender to prayer.
A journey of resilience, faith, and legacy, "Don't Back Down" is a playbook of lessons about:
- Considering how you want to be remembered and the impact you leave behind
- Discovering and pursuing one's true passion and calling rather than playing it safe
- Building fortitude and mental toughness in the face of life's challenges and adversity
- Seeking balance and meaning in one's life-in family, career, and personal fulfillment
- Remembering how precious life is and to live in integrity with one's values
- Learning when to stick to the game plan and when to trust in God's greater plan
This inspiring nonfiction book illustrates how you cannot control what the game of life throws at you, but you can choose how you show up and face it, regardless of the opportunity or challenge ahead.
Mike O'Neill shows that when you bring your "A" game, hold onto hope, and don't back down... Anything is possible.
Mike O'Neill is a first-time author with his debut memoir, Don't Back Down.Following a decade in sales & marketing, the Tennessee native turned his attention to his true passion of mentoring youth through football coaching and teaching business and marketing classes. O'Neill coached middle school football for eight years before transitioning to high school football, first at Christian Brothers High then at Collierville High, where he spent the last seven years of his 20-year tenure as Head Football Coach. In 2017, O'Neill was named the Region 7-6A Coach of the Year. Due to his first cancer diagnosis and search for treatment, O'Neill retired from coaching in 2018. That same year he was named the 2018 Collierville Man of the Year and was a Courage Thru Cancer honoree. He also received the Mario Reed Courage Award from the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. Despite another stage 4 diagnosis in 2020, O'Neill brings his "A" game through his faith and determination to overcome adversity. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a BA in Business Management and later pursued his MA in Education to commit to his dream of coaching. O'Neill lives in Piperton, TN, with his beloved Beth and French bulldog Joey. When he's not chasing the latest cure for cancer, he enjoys traveling and spending time with family.
