J. Dillard Books
Books That Build Better Teams — On and Off the Court
Sports stories written for players, coaches, parents, and the programs that bring them together.
Find the Right Program Request Bulk OrderBooks Built for Every Role in the Program
Whether you lead a team, run a classroom, or raise an athlete — there's a program designed for you.
Coaches & Athletic Directors
Build team culture through shared reading. Team Read programs are designed around your season — no extra practice time required.
Explore Team Read →Schools & Classrooms
Standards-aligned discussion guides for ELA and PE. The Classroom Read brings literature and sport together in a way students actually connect with.
Explore Classroom Read →Parents & Players
Stories that put words to what athletes actually feel — doubt, pressure, growth, and breakthrough. Perfect for the car ride home after a tough practice.
Browse the Books →The Can I Play? Series
Four books. One journey. Mix and match titles — bulk pricing applies across your full order.
Can I Play?
Keli's journey of doubt, growth, and courage on the volleyball court. A must-read embraced by players, parents, and coaches alike.
We Can Play!
The sequel. The team finds its voice. A story about what happens when individual courage becomes collective strength.
Final Point
Stay or go? A story about the hardest decision an athlete can face — and what it reveals about who you really are.
They Made the Team… Now What?
Written for the parents in the stands. The pressure, the confusion, the fear of doing the wrong thing — finally in words.
Choose Your Program
Each program includes the book, a study guide, and discussion prompts built for your setting.
Team Read
A real team-bonding experience built around shared reading. Players develop shared language, open honest conversations, and build accountability — without adding practice time.
Classroom Read
Standards-aligned for ELA and PE. Brings literature and sport together in a way that reaches students who don't typically engage with assigned reading.
Club Read
Designed for club environments where culture and character development matter as much as wins. Flexible format — fits any club's schedule and structure.
From Coaches, Parents & Players
Real feedback from the teams and families who have read the books.
Our team communicated better, trusted each other more, and took ownership — without adding another practice minute. A real bonding experience.
I wish I had this book years ago. It puts words to everything parents feel but rarely admit — the pressure, the confusion, the fear of doing the wrong thing for our kids.
Can I Play? is more than a volleyball story — it's a must-read. Through Keli's journey, readers don't just follow her story — they find themselves in it.
J. Dillard
A retired volleyball coach who has spent decades inside gyms, on sidelines, and in conversations with athletes who needed a story they could see themselves in. J. Dillard writes from lived experience — not theory.
The Can I Play? series was born from a simple question every athlete eventually faces. The answer is never simple. But the story always is.
Read the Full Story →Ready to Bring Can I Play? to Your Team?
Whether you're ordering one copy or a hundred — we make it easy.