Heart of a Champion

Bo Schembechler was a competitor. His life defined the word as appropriately as any other. He played football at Miami University (Ohio) under the legendary Woody Hayes and was eventually hired by Hayes at Ohio State. Perhaps it was there, working under Hayes, that Bo Schembechler learned the traits of integrity and hard work that would serve him so well as the head coach at Michigan and in his 37-year battle with heart disease. The fiercely competitive Schembechler defeated his mentor in his very first season at Michigan and the rivalry between two friends became one of the greatest in all of sport. He also defeated a myriad of health problems with his classic preparation and game-day intensity for nearly four decades.

The Heart of a Champion is Bo''s way of sharing his game plan to fight our nation''s #1 killer—cardiovascular disease—and to inspire others fighting for their lives to win. Bo battled high blood pressure, arthrosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, and heart failure. He proved that a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease need not be a death sentence if you can build a team to help you put a game plan together to beat it. As you read this book, you will see how one man chose to beat all the odds, much longer than anyone could have imagined. You can learn how to fight our nation''s #1 killer and share it with loved ones who may need a game plan of their own.

Bo''s cardiologist, Dr. Kim Eagle, gives the reader a practical and informative overview of numerous health problems and how to fight them. Bo''s friends and colleagues provide an intimate perspective on his life—on and off the field—and the University of Michigan program he loved so dearly.