Don Yaeger is a nationally-acclaimed writer and author of 12 books, including three New York Times best-sellers.

Don spent ten years at Sports Illustrated working on many of the magazine's most significant and groundbreaking stories, including the first national investigation of steroids and their influence in baseball, the future of Internet sports gaming and its potential to influence the games, the horrific efforts of Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, in shaping the Iraqi Olympic Committee and Uday's torture of Iraqi athletes when they didn't perform up to his standards.

The first 10 years of Don's career were spent as a reporter for newspapers in San Antonio, Dallas and Jacksonville. During that time, he covered everything from the 1988 Presidential election to traveling with the Mujahadeen as they battled the Soviet Army in Afghanistan.

In his 20 years as a journalist, Don conducted more than 2,000 interviews with everyone from the President of the United States to some of the great athletes of our time.

On the flip side, he has been interviewed more than 100 times on many national television talk shows, including: Oprah, Nightline, Good Morning America, CNN, 20/20, Dateline and Fox.

Don has also served as a media trainer to scores of attorneys, corporate officers, association executives, athletes and politicians. His media crisis management advice has been sought by a number of clients, including being asked to prep two executives for their interview with 60 Minutes and Mike Wallace.

A member of the National Speaker's Association, Don shares many of his experiences with sports and sports icons to motivate people on all levels.

• What Makes The Great Ones Great : Walter Payton, Jimmy Connors, Dot Richardson, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Pat Riley, and Dale Brown. Each are among the greatest winners the world of sports has ever produced. Does anyone believe the athletes mentioned above are really the GREATEST athletes of their time physically? Based on conversations with and lessons learned from these legendary competitors, Don offers a series of stories about what has made these great ones great and how you can apply those lessons to your personal and professional life.
  
  
• Turning Adversity Into Advantage : Don, a cancer survivor, relates stories and lessons taken from those who have battled challenges and became better because of it. Don has discussed this subject with athletes and entertainers like Tim McGraw, who watched his father lose a battle with brain cancer. McGraw's experience preceded the release of his monster hit, "Live Like You Were Dying."
  
  
• Five Habits of Horrific Leaders : Many have chronicled the habits of great leaders. But much can be learned by studying the mistakes made by terrible leaders. Don takes you inside some of the stories he has written about dreadful leaders, including Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam, who led Iraq's Olympic Committee for 20 years and tortured athletes who didn't win. Don turns those stories around to offer magnificent lessons on leadership.
  
  
• All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Little League : Using behind-the-scenes stories Don has gathered during his career, he shares how sports teaches us important lessons - from leadership to teamwork, from handling adversity to managing success - that help shape our everyday lives. Additionally, sports provides us great role models that we can look to for inspiration. The stories Don uses to make these points are poignant.
  
  
• What Will Your Legacy Be, and What Are You Doing to Ensure It? : In today's live-for-the-moment world, few of us have given thought to the legacy we will leave behind. While working with two exceptional athletes - Walter Payton and Tug McGraw - as they were battling for their lives, Don spent hours discussing the subject of legacy with them and those around them. Both men provided lessons that changed Don's life and will benefit us all.