MLS goalkeeper moonlights as children's book author

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jeff Attinella is unique in that he's the only MLS goalkeeper who can also say he's a children's book author, a side job that has helped earn him the nickname “Dadtinella" from the Portland Timbers faithful.

He's already written five books for kids, and has even launched a publishing company.

"I had the idea to write these books because I just love storytelling, in all forms," he said. “It's inspiring when people figure out a way to tell a story in their own unique way, or when people tell the story about how they got where they are -- I just love storytelling."

While Major League Soccer is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, Attinella has been embracing his super dad role, in a major way. He and wife Kendall recently welcomed a son to their family.

Attinella's foray into writing came shortly after the birth of his first child, daughter Remy Rose, in 2016. An avid sports fan, he started thinking up a Dr. Seuss-style story about the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.

“I was just fooling around on my iPhone in the notes section and came up with a nursery rhyme for my favorite sports team,” he said.

He showed his father-in-law his work and together the family founded a publishing company, It Had To Be Told. The end result was Attinella's first book, “The Curse Ends: The Story of the 2016 Chicago Cubs.”

Since then, he's added four more books: “Cleveland Wins a Championship: The story of the 2016 Cavaliers,” “Greatest Ever: The Story of a Coach, a Quarterback and a Comeback,” and “The Great Space Race: The Story of How America Put a Man on the Moon.” His latest is, “Roll Crimson Roll: The Story of College Football’s Greatest Dynasty.”

Attinella often takes his stories on the road to Portland schools....

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/MLS-goalkeeper-moonlights-as-children-s-book-15194309.php