News About Neil Hayes
New Book!
When Bob Ladouceur took over the head coaching job at De La Salle High School, the school had never experienced a winning season. By the time Coach Lad stepped down in 2013, he had posted a 399–25–3 record, and the Spartans’ 151-game winning streak between 1992 and 2004 was the longest in the history of high school football. While guiding one of the great programs, his accomplishments were so notable that they inspired the bestselling book and major motion picture, When the Game Stands Tall.
Now, for the first time, Coach Lad shares the philosophies he employed at De La Salle, including a detailed look at the technique and fundamentals he used on offense, defense, and special teams. Far more than a book on the Xs and Os of football, this blueprint for success focuses on how Ladouceur created a winning culture based on accountability, work ethic, camaraderie, and commitment that made his teams greater than the sum of their parts.

The St. Charles Writers Group has been kind enough to ask me to speak about my writing career this Saturday, July 13, at the St. Charles Library (1 S. 6th Ave., St. Charles, IL). It’s a unique opportunity to talk about my journalism career both in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in…
Read MoreIt’s safe to say there’s a lot of respect in NFL and college coaching circles for Bob Ladouceur, the former De La Salle High School (Concord, Calif.) coach who in 1979 took over a program that had never had a winning season and retired 33 years later with a 399-25-3 record and more undefeated seasons…
Read MoreBob Ladouceur and I are thrilled to announce the completion of our latest project. Chasing Perfection: The Principles Behind Winning Football the De La Salle Way by Bob Ladouceur with Neil Hayes (Triumph, 2015) is now available at on-line booksellers and will soon be in bookstores. The 272-page book, which has a $24.95 cover price, contains everything…
Read MoreChasing Perfection is officially available in bookstores today. Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster John Madden was kind enough to write the forward. Madden also wrote the forward for “When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football’s Longest Winning Streak. Here’s Madden’s contribution to a book author Bob Ladouceur and…
Read MoreVarious Reviews and Comments
WTGST portrait of great high school coach minus cliches
WTGST a big-hearted, fantastic family movie
A refreshingly good sports movie
WTGST blends football, emotion
WTGST explores how champions deal with loss
WTGST raises the bar for sports films
What Ladouceur taught me about life
Review: A movie about what it takes to be great
Review: A different kind of football story
Review: ‘One of the greatest high school football movies ever made’
Successful coaches have learned from the book, WTGST
Story behind The Streak can help build a winning team
More than 1,000 attend WTGST premier near De La Salle High
Jim Caviezel interviews DLS coach Bob Ladouceur
Glowing review from Christian Movies calls WTGST ‘first rate’
Bears’ LB Williams stood tall at ground zero
Ex-Giants receiver Toomer also stood tall
Young actors make WTGST narrative work
Terrance Kelly’s legacy stands tall 10 years after death
AOL says WTGST is “must-see,” gives it an ‘A’
USA Today calls WTGST movie to “take note of”
Podcast of KNBR interview with Hayes the morning after the Hollywood premier
Review: The Global Dispatch gives WTGST four stars
Q & A with producer David Zelon and author Neil Hayes
How “When the Game Stands Tall” became a movie
Diablo Magazine introduces team behind movie
Rockford (IL) Register Star weighs in
The latest feature video clip from the movie
WTGST movie review from a woman’s perspective
Winning De La Salle coach, football program inspire movie
Entertaining Faith Blog Article on Jim Caviezel
‘When the Game Stands Tall’ gets secret screening in Pleasant Hill
Bay Area Team Goes Hollywood
Trailer: Football team digs deep for ‘The Game Stands Tall’
Jim Caviezel interviewed on WSJ WSJ.com
Jim Caviezel on Upcoming Film ‘When The Game Stands Tall’
Concord De La Salle football movie draws big-name actors
Jim Caviezel Leads Cast of High School Football Drama
Filming of “When the Game Stands Tall” on De La Salle football team to begin Monday
READ THE ARTICLE from the Contra Costa Times
KNBR Radio Interview with Neil Hayes
Hear the Podcast from KNBR 680 in the Bay Area