Coach LeVelle Moton is sharing his personal experiences of overcoming the challenges of boyhood in low-income neighborhoods of Boston and Raleigh in a new book to be released this September. Entitled The Worst Times Are The Best Times, the book is co-authored by journalist Edward G. Robinson III and published by MR Publishing, LLC. It is written especially to motivate and inspire young people, and is also relevant and engaging to anyone facing personal challenges.
As part of an ongoing commitment to giveback to the community, a portion of every book purchase will be used to purchase books to be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of America – an organization that played a vital role in Moton’s upbringing. Moton and Robinson hope to provide complimentary books to every teen Boys & Girl’s Club member across the country.
As part of the book launch celebration, Moton will host his annual LeVelle Community Day event at the Boys & Girl’s Club of Raleigh, his childhood club. He, Robinson, members of the N.C. Central University basketball team and other community representatives will provide a day of fun and food for area youth in need. The Saturday, Aug. 16 event is completely free for young people and their families to attend, and children or teens in attendance will receive a complimentary copy of Coach Moton’s new book along with a backpack full of school supplies. Further details on the event will be announced in the coming weeks.
“The Boys & Girls Club of Raleigh was an incredible gift to me as a child – a place to feel safe, stay out of trouble and be inspired to make things happen in my life,” said Moton. “I wrote this book to help do the same for others, whether young African-American boys with similar childhoods and a lot of tough decisions ahead of them, or businessmen and women looking for a push to work hard and create their own paths to success. I have had so many great mentors that have guided me along the way, I hope I can share just a little of that with others through this book.”
The Worst Times Are The Best Times tells the stories of Moton’s personal experiences with a relatable and motivating perspective. Each chapter includes Inside the Locker Room and Chalkboard sections, detailing lessons learned and calls to action the reader can apply to his or her own life, respectively. It was purposefully designed to be moving for adults, poignant for youth and informative for basketball fans, all while still being relevant and engaging to anyone facing an obstacle.
“The Worst Times Are The Best Times is an honest look at growing up struggling with the world working against you and finding a way to the life you dreamed for yourself,” said Robinson. “As a journalist, I covered N.C. Central University’s basketball program and Coach Moton for years and was struck by his determination, humility and friendship. It was a story I had to tell, and an honor to work alongside him on this project.”
Neighboring ACC basketball coaches, Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski, UNC Chapel Hill Coach Roy Williams and N.C. State University Coach Mark Gottfried, provided book forwards. The book also includes special commentary sections detailing related personal experiences of Moton’s mentors and friends: Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers; Patrick Douthit, better known as 9th Wonder, a hip hop record producer, DJ, lecturer and rapper; and two members of New Edition, the multiplatinum selling R&B group from the same neighborhood as Moton.
The Worst Times Are The Best Times will be released Sept. 2 in hard cover as well as digital formats for iPad, Kindle and Nook. For more information or to pre-order a copy of the book, visit www.theworsttimesarethebesttimes.com. Special discounts are available for bulk purchases by organizations and institutions. For more information, contact MR Publishing, LLC at 919-200-5510.