Professional athletes are now joining the book club trend, with NBA and NHL players organizing reading groups for team bonding. San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Harrison Barnes lead an NBA book club, while the San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli, and Ty Dellandrea run a secretive NHL club. The PWHL and WNBA teams like Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Toronto Tempo, and New York Liberty also foster camaraderie through book discussions.
Toronto Sceptres forward Claire Dalton and goalie Raygan Kirk initiated the team’s book club, gathering over coffee to analyze reads like “Gone Before Goodbye” and “The Heir Apparent.” The club, attracting 15 players during the regular season, aims to continue its literary journey amidst roster changes.
Similarly, the Toronto Tempo of the WNBA, a new expansion team, embraces the book club concept to strengthen team dynamics. Guard Kia Nurse and Nyara Sabally introduced the idea, fostering connections among six to seven players through discussions of books like “It Should Have Been You.”
Reading serves as a refuge for athletes like Nurse, offering a break from the pressures of sports and a chance to explore diverse perspectives. The positive impact of these book clubs extends to the community, inspiring events like Sceptres Storytime with The Children’s Book Bank to promote literacy and engage young readers with hockey-themed books.
By showcasing athletes as reading role models, these initiatives aim to break stereotypes and encourage a love for reading among children, emphasizing that anyone can enjoy books and that reading is both enriching and enjoyable.