EKU Coach A.W. Hamilton Releases Children's Book

Eastern Kentucky University basketball coach A.W. Hamilton debuts a motivational children's book.

Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Basketball

Expressive sports illustration of a basketball coach holding a book, rendered in maroon and white gestural paint strokes. — Eastern Kentucky University basketball coach A.W. Hamilton is distributing his new motivational children's book to elementary students across several Kentucky counties. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball coach A.W. Hamilton has published a new children's book titled Dream Big. The coach authored the book alongside his mother.

Why it matters

The book aims to provide young readers with a framework for achieving their personal goals. Hamilton is actively distributing the work to students across multiple Kentucky counties.

The new book Dream Big outlines 5 core principles intended to help children achieve their personal goals. The project was released officially on the birthday of Hamilton's mother.

The players

A.W. Hamilton

He serves as the men's basketball coach at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.

The details

Coach A.W. Hamilton and his wife have donated copies of the book to every elementary school in Kentucky. Additionally, he is personally gifting copies to all K-6 students in Madison, Knott, and Perry counties, as well as fifth and sixth graders in Clark County.

October 23, 2026: The project news was publicized.
November 7, 2026: Hamilton will sign copies at the Kentucky Book Festival.

Season Trajectory

This literary initiative aligns with the annual community outreach surrounding the Kentucky Book Festival. It represents a broader effort to maintain the coach's public presence outside of the basketball season.

Families in Madison, Knott, Perry, and Clark counties may receive physical copies of the book through their local schools. The book is also currently available for purchase for the general public on Amazon.

The takeaway

This project highlights how collegiate coaches use their platform to foster literacy and goal-setting in local communities. Parents can look for opportunities to engage with the book's five principles to encourage development at home.