YEAR IN REVIEW: This article was originally published on January 5.
Thorold resident and former professional football player Dan Giancola has written an autobiography, in hopes of inspiring others with his story.
‘Be That One: Why Does It Have To Be Someone Else, Why Not Me?’ tells the tale of Giancola’s illustrious ten-year career in the Canadian Football League (CFL), while also touching upon his recent heart attack and stroke.
“I’ve always wanted to write a book,” Giancola tells ThoroldToday. “I wanted it to be about beating the odds on the football field and beating the odds in life. I wanted this book to be inspiring and motivating.”
Giancola’s football career is one of impressive highs. He was one of the highest scoring rookie players in his first year in the CFL, and he won the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts in 2004.
Giancola currently owns a training studio on Ormond Street in Thorold called BTO Performance, and now he has fulfilled his lifelong dream of sharing his story on the written page.
“For years, I began writing a little bit at a time, taking pen to paper and writing chapters and writing down points,” Giancola says. “I’m not a big reader. I really honestly don’t read a lot of books so it was tough for me. I was scared.”
Giancola tinkered on the book in small doses, but after going through a heart attack in 2020 and a major stroke in 2022, he decided to get serious about the project.
“I almost died from a heart attack, I should have died from my stroke or been a vegetable, and I’m still here,” he says. “I was just like: ‘I got to do this.’ I started putting pen to paper and started writing.”
After sending some of his chapters over to his good friend, sports journalist Perry Lefko, the two decided to work on the book together.
“He covered my whole football career in the Canadian Football League,” Giancola says. “If there’s anyone I can trust, it’s him. From day one we were on the same page.”
The book immediately made an impact on its release back in November.
“Within one day it was a bestseller on Amazon in numerous categories,” says Giancola. “It’s been a whirlwind. My motivational speeching has gone through the roof. I never expected anything like this. I’ve done numerous podcasts and the Toronto Sun is going to run a double page of one of my chapters.”
2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Giancola’s career as a personal trainer, and the book exemplifies why Giancola loves doing what he does.
“My whole life has been about helping people,” he says. “This book is just another avenue for me now. Who knows where this is going to take me.”
There’s already been some interest in Giancola's story from Hollywood.
“There’s a few movie producers that are talking to me right now about buying the rights to my book,” he says. “I just know right now I’m enjoying my book and it’s pretty awesome.”
To buy a copy of ‘Be That One: Why Does It Have To Be Someone Else, Why Not Me?’ Head on over to Amazon.ca. Giancola also sells copies of the book at his training studio BTO Performance on Ormond Street in Thorold.
