"They had the vision, and most had more talent than me, but their desire and commitment was insufficient."
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Doctor To The World Champions by Dr. Neil Phillips Trafford Publishing
book review by RJM Terrado
What can happen when an academically low-performing student received a life-threatening blow to the head during a rugby match and pursues a medical profession thereafter? Author and medical practitioner Neil Phillips did just that: He went to medical school after the tragic blow from another player's cross kick during a rugby match, giving him no chance to play the sport again. With a poor academic performance in Lewis School Pengam, he was desperate to play rugby—one of his two comfort zones and areas of expertise, the other being cricket. In a twist of fate, Phillips developed a sharp memory he never had prior his head injury, paving the way for excellent performance in the medical school and eventually passing the final examinations.
Doctor To The World Champions uncovers life's surprises for one of the United Kingdom's top pro football doctors. Phillips introduces himself to his readers through where his roots are: at Tredegar, a town at the northern end of the Sirhowy Valley in South Wales. By introducing Tredegar, the town's and his lineage's history, Phillips paints a rich picture of his childhood and school age life. It is, however, through the interplay of his love for cricket, rugby, and general practice of medicine that readers are introduced to the breadth of his thoughts, understandings, struggles, and successes.
Phillips' descriptive writing and honest-to-goodness stand on some life's dilemmas consumes the readers in the moment. We are drawn into his narrative and made comfortable with the unfolding of his life events. A talented cricketer, doctor, and author, Phillips provides a dose of motivation with an emphasis on a sense of positive purpose even in challenging situations.