Stephenson, John (Middlesex University UK)

Building Champions: Changing Disruptive, Delinquent Teens' Attitudes and Behaviors to Become Real-Life Champions Stephenson, John (Middlesex University UK)

It is 1992 on the east coast of Northern Australia. Rocky Scott is a quiet, gentle man who is passionate about coaching his team of young athletes to attain success, both in the game of football and life. But when he is suddenly struck down with a serious illness and labors to recover over the next year, Rocky ultimately decides that mentoring young lads is his life's work. After Rocky resigns from his sales job and becomes a maxi-taxi driver, he soon discovers that troubled teenagers are his most challenging passengers. When he realizes that their toughness can be broken down through honest and open conversations, Rocky focuses on coaching the young men to learn valuable life skills, embrace music, and live life without violence, drugs, and alcohol to become respectable members of the community. But when he encourages them to compete in a battle of the bands, no one-not even Rocky-can predict the transformation that results. Building Champions is the story of a determined mentor who helps a group of troubled teens from the wrong side of the tracks to change their attitudes and behaviors and become real-life champions.