By Staff Reports
JACKSON – X.M. Frascogna Jr., co-author of five previous books about football in the state of Mississippi, has teamed up with Jackson-based publisher and novelist Joe Lee to pen The Saints of St. Mary’s, the true story of Frascogna’s remarkable four-year run voluntarily coaching elementary school football at St. Mary’s Catholic School more than five decades ago.

The authors will kick off their book tour at Lemuria Books of Jackson on Thursday, June 6 from 4:30-7 p.m. Published by the Mississippi Sports Council, The Saints of St. Mary’s will be released in hardback and available for $24.95 plus tax.

“I was in law school at the time I coached at St. Mary’s, and my wife Judy was a fifth-grade teacher there,” Frascogna said. “I was very caught up in teaching the players the basics on the football field and us winning as many games as possible. What I was too young to realize was the importance of the life lessons involved: always giving your best effort, relying on your teammates, and carrying yourself in an honorable and respectful way.”

Lee, author of nine suspense novels, spent more than a year interviewing former St. Mary’s players, assistant coaches and opposing players.

“So many of those men, now in their mid-sixties, have crystal clear memories of those days and told me they wouldn’t trade them for anything,” Lee said. “These are guys who have excelled over the years in the fields of academia, medicine, business, the practice of law and philanthropy. All talked of takeaways from being mentored by the man they called ‘Coach’ that proved just as valuable in adulthood as they were on the practice field.”

“The Saints of St. Mary’s isn’t just a football book, or a book about coaching football,” Frascogna added. “The subtitle, ‘A true story of old school values and parenting lessons learned through youth sports,’ is crucial because the lessons are timeless. Parents, teachers, and coaches of all sports for both boys and girls will find it relevant.”

Frascogna and Lee will sign copies of the book at Lemuria on Thursday, June 6 at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Lemuria Books is located at 4465 I-55 N on the second floor of Banner Hall.
For more information, visit lemuriabooks.com.