Winnsboro native and  1994 Fairfield Central High School graduate, Cherry A. Prailleau, is a children’s author, technical writer, and communications strategist. She recently released her debut children’s book, Coach Shirley’s Soccer Team: Winning the Game of Life, now available in paperback and eBook on Amazon and at coachshirleybooks.com.

  The heartwarming story follows Coach Shirley and her young soccer team as they learn that winning is about more than the score. Through practice, mistakes, and encouragement, the soccer players discover the importance of confidence, teamwork, accountability, and leadership, both on and off the field.

Coach Shirley’s Soccer Team: Winning the Game of Life features vibrant illustrations by TullipStudio, whose colorful artwork brings the story and its characters to life.

Cherry wrote this book after watching her sister use her imagination to teach life lessons while playing soccer with her daughter. She was reinforcing the foundation they were building together: confidence, accountability, teamwork, leadership, and how to believe in yourself through play.

"I thought it was too beautiful not to share," said Cherry. "Every child has greatness inside them, and sometimes play is how they discover it."

Cherry created Coach Shirley’s Soccer Team with built-in activities designed to reinforce those same lessons, helping young readers practice confidence, teamwork, accountability, and leadership in their everyday lives. 

The book’s launch holds deep personal meaning for Cherry. Raised in the Black- jack Community (Winnsboro) by her mother, Mary E. Prailleau, who believed deeply in education and instilled in them the importance of getting things done, Cherry donated signed copies of the book to Fairfield Elementary School in her mother’s honor.

"My mother made sure all her children got a good education and gave back to the community. Donating these books to Fairfield Elementary School is my way of honoring her legacy," Cherry said. "She would have done the exact same thing."

The book, designed for children ages 5-10, became a Top New Release in Soccer on Amazon upon its launch and has received five star reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads. It has also received extraordinary praise from a professional book editor and has been recognized as a valuable resource for Social Emotional Learning in classrooms and homes nationwide.

Coach Shirley’s Soccer Team: Winning the Game of Life is available in paperback, eBook at coachshirleybooks.com, and on Amazon.

For media inquiries, interviews, or review copies, please contact:

CHERRY A. PRAILLEAU 

coachshirleybooks@gmail.com

www.coachshirleybooks.com