Mid-Prairie Alum Publishes First Leadership Book

Don Showalter ‘70 has a long history with the sport of basketball. As a Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk, he was a part of the 1970 basketball team, taking MP to its first state tournament apperance and finishing as runner up. Upon graduating, Don continued his career into the teaching and coaching world. During his 28 years at Mid-Prairie, he finished with a 446-202 record. After many years of coaching success, several other honors and records also decorate his resume. Recently, Don has incorporated his knowledge and experiences into his first book, Cornfields to Gold Medals.

Cornfields to Gold Medals is an all-American story that takes the reader on Don Showalter’s life journey through the sport of basketball. The tale begins on a classic American family farm perched atop the rolling hills of southeastern Iowa and extends to gymnasiums in every corner of the world. Coach Showalter’s rise to international recognition can be traced to his time at the helm of USA Basketball’s Junior National Team, where he went 62-0 and brought home 10 gold medals. Yet, for all his success he remains grounded in the midwestern values that shaped his character, principles that guide his actions as a leader and interactions with others, making him an ambassador for the sport of basketball around the world. There is a curiosity as to how he did it. But for those that know Don Showalter, very few are surprised about his rise from the cornfields of Iowa to international recognition as a coach. It is through the reflections of coaches, athletes, colleagues, friends, family and his own, that his story is told.

Included are 10 leadership strategies readers can implement in daily practice. Each Gold Lesson will begin with an example from Coach Showalter’s experience leading the USA Basketball Junior National Team and include key points in how to teach the lesson.

The book release date is June 27, 2023. It is available for preorder through Amazon or wherever you get your books. Use your camera app to scan the QR code below to preorder through Amazon.