As part of day job, Jeff Attinella looks to put frowns on the faces of opposing forwards.
But when the match is over, the Portland Timbers goalkeeper tries to put a smile on the face of his 20-month daughter, Remy Rose.
It starts on the field in the postmatch walk around the field to thank the fans and continues when he’s home as the author of children’s books.
"I wanted to create an avenue to share what I thought were sports stories that shouldn't be forgotten," Attinella told the Oregonian. "I'm just trying to tie it all together so that when I'm reading to my daughter, it's stuff that hopefully we can both connect with. These are stories that I really love and hopefully she really loves in the future.”
Attinella describes his books, released through a publishing company he started with his wife and in-laws called It Had to Be Told, as “nursery rhymes with a sports emphasis."
And, understandably, his favorite part is reading to Remy while she sits on his lap.
"She's still at this stage where I think if there's a pop-up animal or something, the books will be a little bit more engaging," Attinella said. "But I've read her all my books and she definitely likes pointing and trying to rip the pages. So, at least that's a good start.”
Read the full Oregonian story here.
