The Roanoker - March/April 2021 - 18

Dennis Haley

The " Art of
Dreaming "
Playbook
written by Aila Boyd Native Roanoker
and former NFL player Dennis Haley
releases his first book for fans and
athletes.

L

ocal sports hero and former NFL
player Dennis Haley released
his first book last month. " The
Playbook: The Art of Dreaming " recounts
the trials and tribulations that he endured
during his journey to become a professional
athlete. It also provides a playbook for how
readers can accomplish their dreams the
way Haley did.
" I wrote the book because I wanted
to share my blessings and opportunities

18 MARCH/APRIL 2021

with everybody else. It's a
motivational, inspirational
autobiography, " he says. " I
want people to know that
dreaming has no age. I want
them to know that they should never lose
faith in their abilities. "
Each chapter explores Haley's successes,
as well as failures from his time as a
child all the way through his time as a
professional athlete. He says he hopes
readers will learn from some of the ways he
persevered throughout his career and use
those tools in their own lives.
" At the end of each chapter I have
what I call life hacks. I use those hacks
as motivational quotes, " he explains. " For
example in the first chapter, I tell people to
dream big, don't let anyone tell them what
they can dream and don't put a cap on their
abilities. "
The book outlines five pillars that he
says can lead to dream fulfillment: selfworth, work-ethic, discipline, relationships
and sacrifice. 

" I go through and talk about each one
of those pillars. I give bullet points on how
each one of those can be used to become
successful, " he says. 
Haley's storied football career started at
Salem High School, where he helped lead
the team to three state championships. He
later played for the University of Virginia
under the direction of College Football
Hall of Fame inductee George Welsh. 
" When I look back on my college career,
I know that I was really blessed, " he says. " I
developed life-long friendships at UVA. "
During the 2005, 2006 and 2007 NFL
seasons, Haley played for the Baltimore
Ravens. 
" Only a small percentage of
the population gets to play a sport
professionally, " he explains.
He retired from the sport in 2010.
" I had my ups and downs throughout
my career, but I don't have any regrets. I
just look back and know that I was blessed
to be able to accomplish my dream, " he
says. " I wanted to do it from the time I was
five years old. "
He attributes his love of the
sport in part to his father who
played collegiate football. 
" It's a fun sport that allows
for a sense of camaraderie
and being part of a team, "
he adds. 
One of the most vital
pieces of knowledge he says he gleaned
from his time as a football player is that
it's important to always be in the " next
play mentality. " Whether he is winning
or losing in a particular moment, Haley
explains he's always got his eye on what's
coming next.
For young people who are considering a
career in sports, Haley advises, " Anything
is possible if you want it. If you want it bad
enough, you can achieve it. You've got to
put in the work. You've got to put in the
effort. You've got to sacrifice. It's not going
to be easy, but nothing is easy. You're going
to fail, but you're going to win too. You've
just got to keep going. "  
Haley was born in Roanoke and raised
in both Roanoke and Salem. He currently
resides in the New River Valley.
Additional information about Haley can
be found at dennishaley.wordpress.com. I

TheRoanoker.com

COURTESY OF DENNIS HALEY

the gist
http://dennishaley.wordpress.com http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker - March/April 2021

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