Strike Season: The True Story of a Team That Played on When the Coaches Walked Out

Friday Night Lights meets Lord of the Flies in this unforgettable true story of a high school football team that banded together when a teacher’s strike left them without coaches.

Michael Eck had always been captivated by his father’s love of Notre Dame football. Now, they were recruiting him to play quarterback. But just two games into his high school senior season, his teachers went on strike, and the coaches followed. With the season canceled and their college dreams in jeopardy, Michael and his three co-captains had a daring idea: What if we coached ourselves?

Secretly thinking this gave them leverage in negotiations with the union, the school board shockingly agreed. Facing the roar of picket lines and corralling adrenaline-charged teammates, the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils became more than symbols of defiance—they were unwitting pawns in an adults’ game. Every play carried weight; every practice and victory risked unraveling into chaos. And as scouts watched and headlines chronicled their season, Michael and his teammates navigated the unprecedented responsibility of holding the team together, winning without coaches, and chasing their dreams.

Strike Season is a poignant memoir about the lengths young people will go to achieve their dreams in the face of overwhelming odds. It is also the story of a boy desperate to make his father proud, a coach wrestling with his loyalties, and a young social studies teacher fighting for his union. At once thrilling and inspiring, Strike Season captures a moment in sports history when youth and courage collide, forever changing a group of young men and the game they loved.