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Finish Strong: The Dan Russell Story offers a detailed wrestling account of life’s familiar defeats and victories. Written by Dan Russell, with Craig Borlase, and published by Rising Star Studios, each page takes the reader on a vivid journey of faith, family, and the ability to overcome obstacles with God’s help.

Dan Russell was the eldest son of a pastor who taught his boys to be tough warriors but often made them laugh with his vivid imagination. He had a loving mother that enjoyed watching him succeed and surely comforted him when he came up short. His younger brother Joe was described as the definition of tough, especially mentally and never backed down from a challenge. Uncle Jeff also lived in the home from time to time and made his presence known through harsh words and excessive pestering. The family also kept various foster children throughout the years.

Joe and Dan committed to and began training for the Olympics as children. They were coached by their father who created a steady training regimen of fun, calisthenics, weigh-ins, and recorded calorie intake.  Over the course of their wrestling careers they gained various skills and winning techniques via various coaches from the USA Oregon Cobra Wrestling Club and school. Cardio, layered clothing, saunas, and strict dieting were frequently used to change or remain in certain weight classes. The boys’ trophies even afforded them the opportunity to visit Germany by participating in the Wrestling Exchange Student Program.

While reading, the descriptive text makes you feel present during key collegiate matches, 1992 Olympic trials, and the 1995 Poddubny Championship in Perm, Russia. Moments like Joe’s severe accident, parents divorcing, and Dan’s critical injuries from matches brought forth mixed emotions. Joe’s determination and victory over paralysis as well as Dan’s wedding, miraculous healing, and chance at fatherhood also tugged at my heart strings.

Out of all the stories in this book, my favorite was when Dan asked Jesus to be his coach for eternity.  Dan accepted Christ as a child and often allowed his faith to handle situations like being bullied and strength to endure training. He remained a faithful believer until his parents’ divorce and the shock of other’s opinions after his dad’s adultery was made public. Subsequently, Dan had a period of frustration and falling from the faith, but he was constantly reminded that God had a plan. Upon surrender to God, Dan was once again propelled into his true purpose with reach well beyond the wrestling mat. He then served in various pastor positions, toured Russia with a Wrestling/Missionary group, and even helped at the Athens Olympic Games.

The book is great quality with thick pages and nice, larger sized text. The pictures placed throughout show memories of Mr. Russell’s life, career, and other key characters mentioned in the story. The brief glimpses of matches, childhood, and family pictures added warmth to the text and made the story even more relatable. There are three content references worth noting: the use of pornography and sex, along with the use of foul language. Since I read this book aloud, after fully reading it myself, I just skipped the mentions and changed the words. For example, rather than using the written curse word, I said “she shouted obscenities.”

This book would work well for older teen readers. Younger readers, 10 and up, would also be attentive but keep the references above in mind.  The themes of perseverance, hard work, overcoming, and faith in God are apparent throughout. The reader is also reminded to finish strong and endure all life offers while maintaining Christian principles.

In life we are promised a mix of love, joy, pain, laughter, failure, success, tears, aches, peace, and so much more. Dan Russell and Craig Borlase did a grand job of encompassing all of these moments within this book. Through reading this I was reminded that it is important to follow God’s plan and winning takes “nothing less than all you have.”Finish Strong: The Dan Russell Story was published by Rising Star Studios and is available via various online retailers.

-Product review by Ta’Neisha Kemp, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2018