MACON, Ga. — Students at Hartley Elementary School got to sit down for story time with a book written by Mercer University's Head Basketball coach.
Coach Susie Gardner wrote "1,2,3 Team" and is on a mission to give the book to every first grader in Bibb County with support from United Way of Central Georgia, Macon orthopedic surgeon Bill Barnes, Macon philanthropist Beverly Knight Olson and Mercer University Press.
Heartly Elementary was the first stop in Gardner’s book distribution tour.
“I’ve always loved children’s books. My sister had five kids and we would read those to my nieces and nephews,” Gardner said.
She says that when reading these books, she realized they could reach a larger audience.
“And you know children’s books can tell a story to first graders, but they can also tell a story to adults. And you know as a basketball coach you really don’t have a lot of time but it’s just something, I thought I would try,” she said.
The book was written in 2016 and features a young athlete named Zoey as she learns that it takes more than one player to make a team.
Gardner says as she has lived in Macon for almost 13 years, and she wants to give back to the community that has given her so much support as a coach.
She says when she was writing the book, giving it out to kids was always her intention.
She says even as she was driving to Hartley Elementary, she got pre-game jitters, just like the ones she has before a basketball game.
“It’s really a dream come true because there's so many kids in Macon that probably don't have a book that they own themselves and I want kids to want to love to learn to read, want to hold their very own book, but also hopefully that the book tells a message,” Gardner said.
You can find the book through the Mercer University Press website or on Amazon.
RELATED ARTICLES: