Sports Athletes

This journey, a four-part chronicle beginning with my freshman year and culminating with senior year, offers an insider's view into the life of a college athlete. As I share my experiences on the baseball diamond, in the classroom, and up in the dorm room, the entire college baseball experience comes to life.

“In vibrant color and style, Hoops Muses tells the vital stories that celebrate the history and tradition of our game.” —Sue Bird, WNBA legend Hoops Muses is an homage to the game, bringing style and flair to all the details, moments, and people who have shaped the collective world of...

An entertaining and comprehensive look at the America’s fastest growing sport, Pickleball for All is the ultimate primer for any level of player interested in the wacky history, unique rules, and exciting future of pickleball. Bainbridge Island, Washington State. On a sleepy summer vacation...

A history and celebration of women's cycling—beginning with its origins as a political statement, beloved pastime, and early feminist act—that shares the stories of notable cyclists and groups around the world More than a century after they first entered the mainstream, bicycles and the...

Ryan never envisioned just how far his football career would take him. But bubbling under the surface of his entire NFL career was a collision course between his secret sexuality and his hidden drug use. As injuries mounted and his daily intake of opioids reached a near-lethal level, he wrote his suicide note to his parents and plotted his death. Yet, someone had been watching. A member of the Chiefs organization stepped in, recognizing the signs of drug addiction. Ryan reluctantly sought psychological help, and it was there that he revealed his lifelong secret for the very first time.

Each November, about a hundred people with paper poppies pinned to their coats gather around a memorial in Edinburgh. They're there to commemorate the more than a dozen members of the local football team, Heart of Midlothian - almost every member of its starting lineup and many of its backup players - who went to war. A Bigger Field Awaits Us tells the little-known but poignant story of a group of Scottish athletes and their fans who went to war together - and the stories of the few who made it home.

Former collegiate star, sports agent, and NFL Executive Michael Huyghue recounts his journey in professional sports and shows how race and racism operate among the rich and the white and extend way beyond the NFL and the world of sports executives. With a deep, abiding love for sports, Huyghue...

“Beyond Broadway Joe gives great insights into that famous Jets team and those individuals. A great read for any football fan and an absolute must for Jet fans.” —Rex Ryan, former New York Jets coach On the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the New York Jets' historic achievement, a...

For Minnesota Glaciers captain Scott Walters, skating on a bum knee--and self-medicating to keep skating on it--is all part of the game. That the painkillers he's eating prevent him from having meaningful relationships is just one more sacrifice in a lifetime of them. He’s worked too hard to...

Dreams of becoming the next Nadia Comaneci led Jennifer Sey to become a gymnast at the age of six. Her early success and love of the sport propelled her and her family to great sacrifice so that she could become a National Team member and one of America’s elite gymnasts by age 11. But as she set her sights higher, Jennifer began to change, setting her mental and physical health aside in the name of winning.

James “Cool Papa” Bell (1903-1991) was a legend in Black baseball, a lightning-fast switch hitter elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Bell’s speed was extraordinary; as Satchel Paige famously quipped, he was so fast he could flip a light switch and be in bed before the room got dark. In The Bona Fide Legend of Cool Papa Bell, experienced baseball writer and historian Lonnie Wheeler recounts the life of this extraordinary player, a key member of some of the greatest Negro League teams in history.

Discover the David vs. Goliath rise of Catholic college basketball, from Villanova to Georgetown to Gonzaga, where small schools perennially shoot past the big power conference programs. In MIRACLES ON THE HARDWOOD, author John Gasaway traces the rise of Catholic college basketball—from its...

Choose a stroke and get paddling through the human history of swimming! From man's first recorded dip into what's now the driest spot on earth to the splashing, sparkling pool party in your backyard, humans have been getting wet for 10,000 years. And for most of modern history, swimming has...

This amazing memoir follows the story of Reggie Williams - ex-NFL linebacker, former Disney executive, renaissance man, and the epitome of determination in the face of extreme challenges.

The painfully honest and personal story of one of baseball’s most intriguing players. In Curveball, Zito shares his story with honesty and transparency. The ups and the downs. The wins and losses. By sharing his experiences as a man who had everything except happiness, Zito offers readers a...

""Friday Night Lights meets Unbroken."" —Tony Reali | ""One of the most profound stories you will ever read."" —Ian O'Connor | ""Plaschke delivers a masterpiece."" —Jeff Pearlman From L.A. Times columnist and ESPN Around the Horn panelist Bill Plaschke, a story of tragedy, triumph, and the...

Hope Not Nope powerfully moves you towards a more positive existence by equipping you with the tools to update your mindset and become a modern-day champion. In the title and writing the term “Lifelong Athlete” is utilized to imply hope is cultivated in this identity, but also adds a fresh perspective: Hope is not wishful thinking, it’s learned and earned. The “Lifelong Athlete” identity is not just related to competitive events, it’s living out the values of servant-based leadership to achieve wholeness: Health.

The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally suited to satisfying careers. In 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro, the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond.

Parents shape their young athletes' mental strength through everyday interactions, creating the foundation for both athletic success and life skills. This comprehensive guide gives parents the tools they need to build resilience, confidence, and mental toughness in their young athletes.

We love them. We cheer for them like we know them personally. We name roads, buildings, and even towns after them. These are the sports heroes and heroines whose athletic accomplishments amaze and inspire us. Many are remarkable not only for their accomplishments in sports, but also for the courageous ways they approached life.