In 'Power Play," by Eric Walters, Cody is a male teen who finds playing hockey a distraction from his life at home; from a loud, alcoholic father and from school that didn't work out well for him. No one is stronger than Cody, not his hockey teammates, not his competitors on the ice, not even his father after he's been drinking. Cody only wants one thing, to make it to the NHL, and he won't let anything get in his way. .
When Cody is enrolled for the Junior A league, Coach Connors takes Cody under his wing, giving him new experience, playing nice with his parents, and promising to help to the way for the NHL. He thinks his dreams of climbing up the ranks are coming true, but unfortunately, not really. Coach's promises have a price. He soon learns that his new champion will take as much as he gives. The situation quickly becomes a nightmare. Not only does the coach sexually abuse Cody, but he also ensures the young player's silence through controlling, intimidation, and threats. Cody has to decide whether or not his dreams are worth suffering at the hands of his hero.
I can't relate to this book personally and I hope I never will. But I can relate it to a not published story I read last week. These two stories are too similar yet so different. The book that I read is called Toxic. And it carries the same idea of sexual harassment/abuse. But it wasn't as bad because the characters fill in love and started dating at the end of the book. And the guy who harassed the girl had some mental issues from his past as a kid, which mentions that he was abused by his father not the same idea in this book but both Cody and Harry (the guy from Toxic) fathers were bad. So I immediately thought of this book when I first read Toxic. .
During some parts of the book, I couldn't help myself but tear up. Like the first time the Coach got Cody drunk and slept with him. Cody couldn't do anything because he was scared and confused of what was happening.