Kidsday: Meeting author Tim Green

As I walked to the Harper Collins Publishing offices in anticipation of meeting not only a critically acclaimed author and NFL defensive end, but also a childhood hero of mine, Tim Green, my nerves started to get the better of me. However, when I finally met him, the nervousness went away, for Tim made me feel very welcome. After we got acquainted, we began our discussion about his experiences and his most recent novel, "The Best of the Best."

Tim spoke to me about many interesting things, such as his life as a student-athlete, his years in the NFL and his motivation for writing novels while playing professional football. I learned that Tim is not the average sports star. He was co-valedictorian at Syracuse University and also received a law degree while in the middle of a busy and successful NFL career. (He played eight years for the Atlanta Falcons.)

I think Tim is a role model for kids all over the country, and not just because he played professional football. He travels to schools on motivational speaking tours, teaching kids that you should never give up on your goals -- whether they are on or off the field. The only thing more important than school and sports is character, as in how you act toward others, a message he often repeats. These themes are constantly present in his sports novels for kids.

In his newest book, "The Best of the Best," Josh, the main character from the last two Baseball Great novels, finds himself in a difficult situation. There are many new problems in his life that he wants to resolve quickly. The biggest for him is that his father has divorced his mother, and could possibly run off with another woman. Also, he has trouble dealing with her obnoxious, smoking son, Marcus, or, as he likes to be called, "Zamboni."

Between all these problems, Josh still has to be at his best for the Little League World Series, where his team will face some of the greatest teams from around the world.

The question is: Can they pull together and win the championship? Or maybe, more importantly, can Josh fix his family life that is now spiraling out of control? I recommend this book to anyone out there who has read the first two in the Baseball Great series, as well as anyone who appreciates a good sports novel. Overall, "Best of the Best" is another winner for all ages, adding to the pile of successful stories written by the real "football hero."

In the time I spent with Tim Green, I realized what an extraordinary man he truly is, not only for his accomplishments as an athlete, but also as a role model for adolescents worldwide. He is exactly what he encourages kids to be: a hardworking, motivated, kind man who uses his experiences to teach others.