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Kid Olympians: True Tales of Childhood from Champions and Game Changers (Kid Legends #9)
By Robin Stevenson. 2024
Triumphant, relatable, and totally true biographies tell the childhood stories of a diverse group of international athletes who have captured…
the world’s attention at the Summer Olympics and Paralympics, like Simone Biles, Jesse Owens, Naomi Osaka, Tatyana McFadden, and 12 other incredible olympians.Athletes throughout history have dreamed of competing in the Olympics—and some were kids themselves when those dreams and plans began! In Kid Olympians: Summer, discover the childhood stories of legends such as: Usain Bolt, who used to skip practices to go to the arcade and play video games.Serena Williams, who sometimes hit her tennis ball over the fence on purpose!Tatyana McFadden, who had to fight to be allowed on her school’s track teamFeaturing kid-friendly text and full-color illustrations, you’ll be inspired to dream bigger, faster, and higher than ever before! The diverse and inspiring group also includes Michael Phelps, Yusra Mardini, Dick Fosbury, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Gertrude Ederle, Nadia Comaneci, Ellie Simmonds, Tommie Smith, Wilma Rudolph, and Megan Rapinoe.Undisputed: A Champion's Life
By Donovan Bailey. 2023
A memoir of Olympic glory, the value of mentorship and the courage to champion your own excellence, from the long-reigning…
world's fastest man, Canadian sprinting legend Donovan Bailey.From the lush fields of his boyhood in Jamaica, to the basketball courts of Oakville, where he came of age in one of Canada’s most thriving cultural mosaics, to his sprint toward double Olympic gold for Canada in Atlanta in 1996, Donovan Bailey got a long way on natural talent. But he also learned that in the bureaucratic world of Canadian sports, an athlete who didn't come up in the system needed to take charge of his fate if he was going to become the world’s best. As he ascended from outsider to dominant athlete, others didn’t always understand the rigour at work behind Bailey’s confident demeanour. He’d learned from watching Muhammad Ali that a champion needed to act like a champion. But media grew fixated on the sprinter’s immodesty, the likes of which they never saw from Canadian athletes, especially track athletes in the wake of the Ben Johnson doping scandal at Seoul in 1988. Bailey was having none of it, and when he called out Canada's subtle racism and contradicted the prevailing idea most Canadians had of their country, he left in his wake a media uproar and cracked wide open the nation’s moral complacency. In addition to his unforgettable 100-metre and 4x100 relay gold-medal sprints in Atlanta, Bailey's track career was a litany of records and rare accomplishments, including his audacious 1997 race in Toronto's SkyDome against American 200-metre Olympic champion Michael Johnson to determine who was really the world’s fastest man. There was no disputing the result. Bailey had been coached in success before he was seriously coached in athletics. Following the lead of his father, a machinist-turned-real estate investor, Bailey became a millionaire by the age of 21, an experience he continues to draw on as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Frank about his dominance on the track and unapologetic for expecting as much of those around him as he expects of himself, Undisputed is an athlete's story that refuses to settle for second best.Calling the Shots: Ups, Downs and Rebounds – My Life in the Great Game of Hockey
By Kelly Hrudey, Kirstie McLellan Day. 2017
Few people have had a better front row seat to hockey history than Kelly Hrudey, whose former teammates include Mike…
Bossy, Denis Potvin, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey and Wayne Gretzky, among many others of the game’s greats. In 1987, he stood tall in net during the Easter Epic, the longest playoff game in Islanders history. Kelly made seventy-three saves (to this day an NHL record for most saves made in a playoff game) against the Capitals before Pat LaFontaine scored the winner in the fourth overtime period of Game Seven at two o’clock in the morning. Later that year, Kelly was in the Canada Cup lineup of one of the most talented teams ever assembled on ice. In 1989, he joined Wayne Gretzky and Marty McSorley on a team that took Los Angeles by storm: the Kings went all the way to the Stanley Cup final against the Canadiens in 1993. Hrudey is now a well-respected hockey analyst and broadcaster and has watched with a keen eye as the game continues to evolve. Through it all, he has seen greatness and missed opportunities, inspiring moments and outright craziness. Working with bestselling author Kirstie McLellan Day, Kelly delivers a lively and thoughtful memoir, rich in behind-the-scenes anecdotes, humour and insight.Nazaré: Life and Death with the Big Wave Surfers
By Matt Majendie. 2023
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR JOIN THE QUEST TO SURF THE BIGGEST WAVE IN…
HISTORY.In a small fishing village on the coast of Portugal, a select band of surfers take unimaginable risks, pushing the boundaries of their death-defying sport as they seek to go bigger than ever before.Their goal? To ride the Everest of the ocean - the 100-foot wave.Sports journalist Matt Majendie is welcomed into the inner circle of Nazaré's tight community of big-wave surfers and extreme thrill-seekers, living among them for a season as he chronicles their incredible highs and terrifying lows.Follow the endeavours of Britain's leading big-wave surfer, a former plumber from Devon, Andrew Cotton; trailblazing Brazilian female surfer Maya Gabeira; current World Record holder German Sebastian Steudtner; Portuguese Nic von Rupp and jet-ski driver Sérgio Cosme, nicknamed 'the Guardian Angel of Nazaré' for his daring rescues, in this gripping read.War Room: The Legacy of Bill Belichick and the Art of Building the Perfect Team
By Michael Holley. 2011
Bill Belichick is one of the titans of today’s game of football. Now, sports commentator and bestselling author Michael Holley…
follows three NFL teams—the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons—from training camp 2010 through the Super Bowl and into the April draft, opening a new window into Belichick’s influence on the game. This one-of-a-kind exploration takes football fans behind the scenes of the most popular sport in America, with unprecedented insider access to the head coaches, scouts, trainers, and players who make the game what it is—including new insights from Bill Parcells, Todd and Dick Haley, and Belichick himself. For true fans of the game, and for readers of Badasses, Patriot Reign, and Boys Will Be Boys, Holley’s War Room is not to be missed.Marty Glickman: The Life of an American Jewish Sports Legend
By Jeffrey S. Gurock. 2023
The first comprehensive biography of the preeminent voice of New York sportsFor close to half a century after World War…
II, Marty Glickman was the voice of New York sports. His distinctive style of broadcasting, on television and especially on the radio, garnered for him legions of fans who would not miss his play-by-play accounts. From the 1940s through the 1990s, he was as iconic a sports figure in town as the Yankees’ Mickey Mantle, the Knicks’ Walt Frazier, or the Jets’ Joe Namath. His vocabulary and method of broadcasting left an indelible mark on the industry, and many of today’s most famous sportscasters were Glickman disciples. To this very day, many fans who grew up listening to his coverage of Knicks basketball and Giants football games, among the myriad of events that Glickman covered, recall fondly, and can still recite, his descriptions of actions in arenas and stadiums. In Marty Glickman, Jeffrey S. Gurock showcases the life of this important contributor to American popular culture. In addition to the stories of how he became a master of American sports airwaves, Marty Glickman has also been remembered as a Jewish athlete who, a decade before he sat in front of a microphone, was cynically barred from running in a signature track event in the 1936 Olympics by anti-Semitic American Olympic officials. This lively biography details this traumatic event and explores not only how he coped for decades with that painful rejection but also examines how he dealt with other anti-Semitic and cultural obstacles that threatened to stymie his career. Glickman’s story underscores the complexities that faced his generation of American Jews as these children of immigrants emerged from their ethnic cocoons and strove to succeed in America amid challenges to their professional and social advancement. Marty Glickman is a story of adversity and triumph, of sports and minority group struggles, told within the context of the prejudicial barriers that were common to thousands, if not millions, of fellow Jews of his generation as they aimed to make it in America.Stuart Broad: THE MUST-READ SPORTS AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 2023
By Stuart Broad. 2023
Out now: the must-read sports autobiography of 2023THE SWING. THE SEAM. THE STORY. __________ Stuart Broad is the ultimate competitor…
- someone addicted to the pressures of Test cricket, the big occasions and being thrust into the heat of battle. For over seventeen years, he's left it all on the field. A multiple Ashes winner and World Champion, Broad was integral to some of the greatest England teams of all time. His awards and achievements, however, don't tell the whole story. He has always been a cricketer of more than mere numbers. Broad's passionate and spontaneous behaviour has made him a fan favourite. No other player feeds off the crowd quite like he does. In his autobiography, Broad shares the moments from the game which have made him and those that almost broke him. What's clear, however, is his unwavering belief in his own ability to become one of the best ever. Candid, entertaining, and refreshingly honest, this book reveals the personal side of a true cricketing great. __________ 'The longevity of his career, and what he has achieved, should never be forgotten' Ben Stokes 'He loves the big moments, the pressure situations. That's a true sign of a champion, I think. He's been incredible for England for a long, long time' Glen McGrath 'Stuart Broad is the ultimate Ashes warrior' Ricky Ponting 'One of England's greatest players of all time' Joe RootSÍ SEÑOR: My Liverpool Years - THE LONG-AWAITED MEMOIR FROM A LIVERPOOL LEGEND
By Roberto Firmino. 2023
A revelatory memoir from Liverpool legend and global football star Bobby Firmino.Master of the no-look goal and Anfield favourite, Roberto…
'Bobby' Firmino, signed for Liverpool in July 2015. Over the next eight years - and seven winners' medals - he established himself as one of the club's most important players in recent years for his audacious skill, impressive goal scoring, and beaming smile.Jürgen Klopp saw Firmino as the on-pitch 'engine' that drove the club's counter-pressing strategy and together with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, Firmino formed a formidable attacking trio. The Kop rewarded Roberto with the ultimate accolade - his own song: 'Sí, Señor, give the ball to Bobby and he will score.' Sí, Señor celebrates Firmino's cherished years in a red shirt and will remind fans why they fell in love with him in the first place.Stuart Broad: PRE-ORDER HIS MUST-READ AUTOBIOGRAPHY NOW
By Stuart Broad. 2023
Pre-order the must-read sports autobiography of 2023THE SWING. THE SEAM. THE STORY. __________ Stuart Broad is the ultimate competitor -…
someone addicted to the pressures of Test cricket, the big occasions and being thrust into the heat of battle. For over seventeen years, he's left it all on the field. A multiple Ashes winner and World Champion, Broad was integral to some of the greatest England teams of all time. His awards and achievements, however, don't tell the whole story. He has always been a cricketer of more than mere numbers. Broad's passionate and spontaneous behaviour has made him a fan favourite. No other player feeds off the crowd quite like he does. In his autobiography, Broad shares the moments from the game which have made him and those that almost broke him. What's clear, however, is his unwavering belief in his own ability to become one of the best ever. Candid, entertaining, and refreshingly honest, this book reveals the personal side of a true cricketing great. __________ 'The longevity of his career, and what he has achieved, should never be forgotten' Ben Stokes 'He loves the big moments, the pressure situations. That's a true sign of a champion, I think. He's been incredible for England for a long, long time' Glen McGrath 'Stuart Broad is the ultimate Ashes warrior' Ricky Ponting 'One of England's greatest players of all time' Joe RootSÍ SEÑOR: My Liverpool Years - THE LONG-AWAITED MEMOIR FROM A LIVERPOOL LEGEND
By Roberto Firmino. 2023
A revelatory memoir from Liverpool legend and global football star Bobby Firmino.Master of the no-look goal and Anfield favourite, Roberto…
'Bobby' Firmino, signed for Liverpool in July 2015. Over the next eight years - and seven winners' medals - he established himself as one of the club's most important players in recent years for his audacious skill, impressive goal scoring, and beaming smile.Jürgen Klopp saw Firmino as the on-pitch 'engine' that drove the club's counter-pressing strategy and together with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, Firmino formed a formidable attacking trio. The Kop rewarded Roberto with the ultimate accolade - his own song: 'Sí, Señor, give the ball to Bobby and he will score.' Sí, Señor celebrates Firmino's cherished years in a red shirt and will remind fans why they fell in love with him in the first place.Drawing upon oral and documentary evidence, this volume explores the lives of noteworthy Mi’kmaw individuals whose thoughts, actions, and aspirations…
impacted the history of the Northeast but whose activities were too often relegated to the shadows of history. The book highlights Mi’kmaw leaders who played major roles in guiding the history of the region between 1680 and 1980. It sheds light on their community and emigration policies, organizational and negotiating skills, diplomatic endeavours, and stewardship of land and resources. Contributors to the volume range from seasoned scholars with years of research in the field to Mi’kmaw students whose interest in their history will prove inspirational. Offering important new insights, the book re-centres Indigenous nationhood to alter the way we understand the field itself. The book also provides a lengthy index so that information may be retrieved and used in future research. Muiwlanej kikamaqki – Honouring Our Ancestors will engage the interest of Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers alike, engender pride in Mi’kmaw leadership legacies, and encourage Mi’kmaw youth and others to probe more deeply into the history of the Northeast.The End of Autumn: Reflections on My Life in Football
By Michael Oriard. 2009
Much of Michael Oriard's education took place outside the schoolroom of his native Spokane, Washington, during "slaughter practices" on high…
school football fields. He was taught to "punish" and "dominate," to rouse his school spirit with religion, and to "tough it" through injuries, even serious ones. At the age of eighteen he entered Notre Dame and walked onto the football team, where studying hard was never harder. By his senior year, playing for Ara Parseghian's Fighting Irish, he was the starting center and co-captain of the team. After graduating, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and head coach Hank Stram. There he learned what it meant to be "owned." He rediscovered the game as it was played by grown men with families who were still treated like children and who dreaded nothing more than the end of their football careers. And without their fully realizing the consequences, every hard tackle inflicted its injury, some gradually growing into chronic conditions, some suddenly cutting a player's career short and ushering him off the field to be soon forgotten. In this thoughtful narrative, Oriard describes the dreams of glory, the game day anxieties, the brutal training camps and harsh practices, his starry-eyed experience at Notre Dame, and the cold-blooded business of professional football. Told from the inside, the book leaves aside the hype and the pathos of the game to present a direct and honest account of the personal rewards but also the costs players paid to make others rich and entertained. Originally published in 1982, The End of Autumn recounts the experiences of an ordinary player in a bygone era--before ESPN, before the Bowl Championship Series, before free agency and million-dollar salaries for NFL players. In a new afterword, Oriard reflects on the process of writing the book and how the game has changed in the thirty years since his "retirement" from football at the age of twenty-six.The Life of a Sports Agent: The Middleman
By Luke Sutton. 2020
A candid behind-the-scenes look at the business of sports from the athlete-turned-agent and author of Back from the Edge.A lot…
of mystery surrounds sports agents and their roles in the lives of their high profile clients. Many imagine a glamorous existence of spending time with celebrities and earning lots of money for doing easy or very little work. The Life of a Sports Agent reveals how very wrong this perception is.Having been a top sports agent for nearly a decade, with clients such as James Anderson, Sam Quek, Nile Wilson, James Taylor, and Simon Mignolet, Luke Sutton has an incredible insight into the world of sports management across a number of areas. In his new book, Luke reveals stories and personal experiences about the sporting stars he has encountered, both the good and bad, and his very honest opinions about them, and offers a true look into how this mysterious industry works.Against All Odds: Never Give up (Good Sports Ser.)
By Glenn Stout. 2012
Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, Roy Reigels in the 1929 Rose Bowl, Frank Reich and the Buffalo Bills during…
the 1993 NFL playoffs, Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets in 2004, the entire St. Louis Cardinals team in the 2011 World Series . . . What do these players have in common? Every one of them was on the brink of a humiliating defeat. But at the moment when they could have called it quits, they didn’t. These five real-life stories, illustrated with black-and-white photographs, will inspire readers young and old.I Am Weak, I Am Strong: Building a Resilient Faith for a Resilient Life
By Jay Hewitt. 2023
Even on the days you struggle to stay strong, you can live a resilient and hopeful life.After receiving a devastating…
brain cancer diagnosis, Jay Hewitt had a decision to make: Should he give up on faith or practice what he preached and trust that with God all things are possible? In I Am Weak, I Am Strong, Jay chronicles his journey of turning toward Jesus even when circumstances urged him to turn away. Faith in action for Jay included competing in an IRONMAN triathlon while undergoing cancer treatment. His race was a grand gesture of love for his young daughter--and a call to resilience for all of us.I Am Weak, I Am Strong reminds us that our true "superpower" comes from God. As you read Jay's honest and inspiring words, you will:Understand the counterintuitive wisdom of strength in weaknessLearn to discern the voice of God and his calling for your lifeLive with resilience in the face of any trialDiscover how God moves mountains--even when you least expect itFeel empowered to pray authentically, boldly, and continually For anyone who is searching for hope in anxiety and grief, needs validation and compassion in times of doubt, is curious about faith in the face of death, or longs for a more authentic relationship with God, I Am Weak, I Am Strong will teach you that faith grows from the freedom to doubt.Strength grows from realizing how weak we are on our own. And light grows when we follow God's dreams for us, even through the darkness.Killing the Image: A Champion’s Journey of Faith, Fighting, and Forgiveness
By Andre Ward. 2023
In this inspiring memoir, undefeated five-time world champion boxer Andre Ward--aka "Son of God"--shares the gripping narrative of his unforgettable…
career, his rock-solid faith, and why boxing was never the biggest fight of his life.Andre Ward was the undefeated light heavyweight boxing champion of the world when he walked away from the ring and did not look back. Now that he has taken off his gloves for the final time, the Olympic gold medalist is ready to share the heartbreaking and uplifting stories of his formative years and unprecedented boxing career. Motivational, faith-building, and utterly compelling, this memoir offersan inspiring story of overcoming a broken childhoodbehind-the-scenes drama from Andre's epic championship bouts, complicated relationships with managers and promoters, and shocking decision to retire at the top of his gameinsight into breaking destructive generational bonds, forgiving those who have hurt us, and moving toward hopea challenge to live out our faith without compromiseRich with colorful characters, fascinating detail, and biblical truths, this is the story of a man known for his integrity outside the ring, his warrior's instinct inside it, and his unrelenting bond with the God who called him to the greatest victory of all.Back from the Edge: Mental Health and Addiction in Sport
By Luke Sutton. 2020
“One of the most open and honest and thought-provoking books on the effect addiction and alcohol can have on the…
career and life of a county cricketer.” —Deep Extra CoverThe truth is that professional sports are a breeding ground for addictive behavior.Luke Sutton is a business owner and successful agent to sporting stars such as James Taylor, Nile Wilson and Sam Quek, but his life didn’t always look so positive.Back from the Edge reveals the huge ups and major downs that a professional career in sports can bring—and the mental health difficulties that can plague a sportsperson along the way. Luke knows this more than most. Brutally, but refreshingly honest, this no-frills autobiography of the former professional cricketer describes in detail the moment he hit rock bottom, how he got there, his roller coaster journey through rehab, and the important lessons he’s learned since.Throughout the book, Luke remains candid and reveals how his addictions affected his personal life, from his friends to family to his children. Back from the Edge is heart-wrenching. It’s also thoroughly genuine, funny and utterly inspirational, and has allowed the former cricketer to speak about his mental health and to raise awareness of addiction in sports. Now a sports agent, he is perfectly placed to spot the warning signs in young stars, and to support them before they spiral into the same type of experiences he faced.“A raw account of his alcoholism and the process of rebuilding his life.” —The Telegraph“One of the most honest cricket books ever written.” —ESPNcricinfoArsenal: The Story of a Football Club in 101 Lives
By Anton Rippon. 2020
A history of the Gunners told through in-depth biographies of the team’s key players on and off the pitch, from…
its late 19th century beginnings to today.Arsenal: The Story of a Football Club in 101 Lives tells the history of the team through the biographies of key individuals associated with the club from its formation in the gas-lit days of Victorian Britain through to the present day.From David Danskin, the Scottish mechanical engineer and footballer who was the driving force behind the team raised at Dial Square, a workshop at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, to Arsene Wenger, the longest-serving and most successful manager in Arsenal’s history. The in-depth stories of the characters—players, managers, chairmen—here paint a fascinating picture of how the club—indeed, the game of football itself—has developed from workers playing for fun to today’s multi-million-pound business.Tomlin: The Soul of a Football Coach
By John Harris. 2023
In 2007, at the age of thirty-four, Mike Tomlin was hired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Replacing…
Hall of Famer Bill Cowher—and two years removed from the team&’s Super Bowl XL victory—there was immense pressure on the first-year head coach, who many fans and those in the media were largely unfamiliar with. After five seasons as an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a single season as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, the hiring came as a surprise to many. From his first day at the helm, numerous questions began to be asked: Was this young coach able to lead a veteran team that still had championship hopes? Could the newly hired, soft-spoken coach be able to fill the shoes of the great Cowher, known for being brash and outspoken? Was his hiring based solely on the &“Rooney Rule&”—named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney—which states that every team must interview at least one minority candidate for their open head coaching position? Not only did Tomlin rise above the questions and criticism about his credentials, he continued the franchise&’s reputation of excellence. The youngest coach to win a Super Bowl in only his second season at the helm, Tomlin has yet to have a losing record in sixteen seasons with the team. He is also the second-most tenured head coach in the league, only behind Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. But the question still unanswered is, who is Mike Tomlin? Known for giving little to the media and keeping his thoughts and opinions private, those outside the locker room and Steelers offices know little about the future Hall of Fame coach. Even as one of the most successful African American head coaches in NFL history, and one that has handled numerous locker room &“personalities&” over the years, much of what is written and reported about the coach is only above the surface. That&’s where John Harris comes in. A veteran journalist who covered Tomlin&’s hiring for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Harris works to pull back the curtain on the mystique behind this &“coaching unicorn.&” Beginning with his days as a wide receiver at William & Mary, his several years in the college coaching ranks, to getting hired by Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy with the Buccaneers and his single season with the Vikings, Tomlin shares how a young man from Hampton, Virginia, was able to establish himself as a leader of men in a business with so much turnover, earned the respect from his peers and players, and has continued to be someone that is looked up to by so many in the league. With interviews from former players, coaches, and executives, Harris lets readers in on what it&’s like to play for Tomlin, why he is (or is not) beloved in Pittsburgh, and how his continued success has helped change the landscape of what NFL franchises look for in hiring a head coach. All from a man that chooses to give all the success to his players and coaches—past and present—than take it for himself: exactly what every franchise hopes for from the leader of their team.42 Today: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy (Washington Mews Books)
By Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon, MichaeL Long. 2021
Explores Jackie Robinson’s compelling and complicated legacy Before the United States Supreme Court ruled against segregation in public schools, and…
before Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, Jackie Robinson walked onto the diamond on April 15, 1947, as first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, making history as the first African American to integrate Major League Baseball in the twentieth century. Today a national icon, Robinson was a complicated man who navigated an even more complicated world that both celebrated and despised him. Many are familiar with Robinson as a baseball hero. Few, however, know of the inner turmoil that came with his historic status. Featuring piercing essays from a range of distinguished sportswriters, cultural critics, and scholars, this book explores Robinson’s perspectives and legacies on civil rights, sports, faith, youth, and nonviolence, while providing rare glimpses into the struggles and strength of one of the nation’s most athletically gifted and politically significant citizens. Featuring a foreword by celebrated directors and producers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon, this volume recasts Jackie Robinson’s legacy and establishes how he set a precedent for future civil rights activism, from Black Lives Matter to Colin Kaepernick.