Book clubs have become increasingly popular, with notable figures such as Dua Lipa, Morgann Book, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah leading the trend.
However, a new wave of book clubs has emerged among professional athletes, a surprising development in the sports world. NBA players Victor Wembanyama and Harrison Barnes of the San Antonio Spurs are actively encouraging their teammates to join their book club, as seen in a video on the league’s YouTube channel.
Similarly, members of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, including Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli, and Ty Dellandrea, have a secretive book club, teasing fans with a running joke about keeping their reading choices under wraps.
Athletes from the PWHL and the WNBA, such as the Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Toronto Tempo, and New York Liberty, have also embraced book clubs as a way to bond and connect over their shared love for reading.
Claire Dalton, a forward for the Toronto Sceptres, highlighted the team’s enthusiasm for reading, noting that the book club was a natural extension of their shared interests. Dalton and the team’s goalie, Raygan Kirk, initiated the book club, utilizing prompts from Google and Reddit to guide their discussions on books like “Gone Before Goodbye” and “The Heir Apparent.”
The Toronto Sceptres’ book club has attracted around 15 players, fostering a sense of camaraderie and intellectual engagement among team members. This initiative has garnered significant attention on social media, with fans eagerly following the team’s reading journey.
Image: Toronto Sceptres’ goaltender Raygan Kirk celebrating with teammates after a hockey game. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)
Building Team Chemistry Through Reading
The Toronto Tempo’s book club, inspired by guard Kia Nurse and her teammate Nyara Sabally, serves as a platform for the newly formed WNBA team to strengthen their off-court relationships. Nurse emphasized the importance of friendship and unity within sports teams, citing the book club as a meaningful starting point for fostering team cohesion.
Engaging in discussions about books has allowed the Tempo players to gain insight into each other’s perspectives and build deeper connections beyond the basketball court.
Their inaugural book club selection, “It Should Have Been You” by Andrea Mara, set the stage for lively conversations among team members during their travels. Nurse shared how the book club gathering on a plane trip, complete with Tim Horton’s donuts, created a casual and inviting space for literary exchange.
Escaping Through Reading
For Kia Nurse, reading serves as a valuable escape from the pressures of being an athlete, allowing her to explore different worlds and characters outside of the sports realm. She emphasized the role of books in shaping her identity beyond athletics and providing a mental retreat from the demands of competition.
The impact of these sports teams’ book clubs extends beyond their locker rooms, resonating with fans and inspiring community engagement. The Toronto Sceptres’ promotion of reading led to a collaboration with The Children’s Book Bank, culminating in the successful Sceptres Storytime event that encouraged young readers to explore new literary horizons.
