The Why of Sports
Finding Meaning, Presence and Purpose in the Game and Beyond
Available on Amazon and wherever you buy books in Paperback, Hardcover and Kindle formats.
Coach At Heart.
Writer By Curiosity.
Peter Bidstrup is a longtime coach, educator, and mindfulness teacher. A former All-American athlete and Hall of Fame inductee, he has guided teams to championship success while helping players cultivate purpose and presence on and off the field. The Why of Sports is his first book.
Whether preparing for game day, guiding a team, or supporting a child’s athletic journey, this book offers a mindful approach to competition — one that values process over outcome, humility over ego, and joy over perfection.
Drawing on decades of experience as an athlete, coach, parent, and mindfulness teacher, Peter Bidstrup explores how lessons learned on the field continue to shape who we become beyond it. Sports are more than competition — they’re a lifelong classroom for presence, purpose, and growth.
In The Why of Sports, each chapter invites reflection on the habits, virtues, and choices that define a true competitor: discovering your “why,” trusting your gifts, training the unseen mind, and finding courage in uncertainty. Through stories, insight, and practical guidance, Bidstrup shows how athletes, coaches, and parents can reimagine sport as a practice for becoming more aware, resilient, and
connected.
At its heart, The Why of Sports is a call to return to what drew us to play in the first place: love of the game, love of learning, and love of those we share it with.
