Professional athletes are getting in on the book club trend, joining the likes of celebrities such as Dua Lipa, Morgann Book, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah. NBA players Victor Wembanyama and Harrison Barnes of the San Antonio Spurs have initiated a book club and are encouraging more teammates to participate. Similarly, the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, including Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli, and Ty Dellandrea, have a book club, keeping their reading choices a humorous secret.
Athletes in the PWHL and WNBA, such as the Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Toronto Tempo, and New York Liberty, have embraced book clubs as a way to bond. Toronto Sceptres’ forward Claire Dalton, a book club enthusiast, brought the idea to the team from her previous experience with the Montreal Victoire. Starting with the team’s goalie Raygan Kirk, the Sceptres book club met over coffee during the season, discussing books like “Gone Before Goodbye” and “The Heir Apparent.”
The WNBA’s Toronto Tempo, a newly formed team, established a book club led by guard Kia Nurse and teammate Nyara Sabally. The book club serves as a means for the team to strengthen their off-court chemistry, with their first book being the thriller “It Should Have Been You” by Andrea Mara. Nurse emphasizes the value of reading as an escape from the pressures of athletics and a way to connect with teammates on a different level.
The impact of these sports teams discussing their book clubs extends beyond their locker rooms. Social media posts about the Sceptres’ book club garnered significant attention, leading to community engagement initiatives like the Sceptres Storytime event with The Children’s Book Bank. The event featured goalies Kirk and Jessie McPherson reading to children, promoting literacy and showcasing diverse reading role models for young readers.
By highlighting the positive influence of book clubs on athletes and communities, these initiatives aim to break stereotypes and emphasize the joy and importance of reading for all individuals, regardless of their background or interests.
