The Athlete's Ball
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Athlete's Ball (Integrative Training)
  • Oakland TriKing Likes it A Lot
  • I'm Lovin it!!
  • Power Core - Oh Yeah!
  • The workouts I could do with 1 ball where great
The Athlete's Ball
Rick Jemmett
Manufacturer: Novont Health Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0968871550

Book Description

Rick Jemmett, author of the best-selling Spinal Stabilization - The New Science of Back Pain, presents a cutting edge, research-based approach to sport-specific training for recreational, competitive and elite athletes. Integrative Training- - the simultaneous training of strength, core stability and balance - adds an exciting new dimension to sport specific training. The progressive, challenging and fun exercises in The Athlete's Ball are designed to improve sport performance and reduce the risk of injury for all athletes, regardless of their sport!

How does it work?

On any playing field, an athlete's core, shoulder and hip muscles work in concert to stabilize the torso while generating the power to run, throw, swing, kick and block. Integrative Training exercises performed in the gym closely mimic the athlete's real-world sport performance demands. The 'dry-land' training program becomes far more competition specific resulting in a body that responds more quickly, generates greater power and is more efficient, and fatigue-resistant!

The Athlete's Ball includes over 300 photos and illustrations detailing the correct performance of 122 exercises. Concise, easy-to-understand exercise descriptions along with photographs of athletes performing the exercises make for a smooth transition to Integrative Training. A variety of sample programs guides the athlete in customizing a program unique to their sport, their body and their current fitness level.

Knee Injury & The Female Athlete …

Research has shown that female athletes experience significant knee injuries more easily and more frequently than male athletes. The Athlete's Ball meets this problem head-on with a unique chapter devoted to female athletes at risk for major ligament & joint injury, kneecap dislocations and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Evidence regarding the causes of these injuries forms the basis for a novel and effective core & lower body conditioning program intended to dramatically lower a woman's risk of knee pain and injury.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Athlete's Ball (Integrative Training).......2007-01-10

This book was extremely helpful. I learned many new exercises to help strenghten my core. I recommended it to anybody looking for a new challenge to their workouts.

5 out of 5 stars Oakland TriKing Likes it A Lot.......2005-06-08

About two years ago my `spine popper' (chiropractor) taught me some new exercises for my back then got me to buy another book by this author to keep me doing them properly. This past winter I decided to try tri-athlon. I wanted to get stronger but not real bulky. I thought I'd try this new book because you could decide if you wanted to use weights with the exercises or not.

I like the progressions, photos and instructions and yes - some of the harder exercises are REALLY hard! I showed it to my training group and some of the others wanted it too. We're all fans of this core stuff now - we really seem to notice the biggest gains in the swim. I can go harder for longer distances thanks to an incredibly strong midsection. And I agree with AM from La Crosse - the six pack is pretty sweet.

5 out of 5 stars I'm Lovin it!!.......2005-06-07

Awesome workout, very easy to customize the programs so that they are `sport- specific'. My diving went really well this year - my vastly improved core was a big aspect of my success. I didn't mind at all the more ripped abs I've got too;).

5 out of 5 stars Power Core - Oh Yeah!.......2005-05-15

I don't often rave about stuff but this book is pretty cool. I had the opportunity to go to the Athens games last year (rowing). I saw athletes from everywhere dong all this crazy ball and buozu (?) training. When I got home I went looking for a book that had that kind of focus. This is the book I picked and its been amazing about the increase in power I get now. We're just back on the water and I've never felt stronger at the start of the season. If you want a cutting edge source of core training, I'd say this is the book to get.

3 out of 5 stars The workouts I could do with 1 ball where great.......2005-03-06

The book format is good in theory. But i only have one ball. I was looking for a ball core workout. I got this book and another.

I have had the book for a little longer now, and i have gotten some good workouts out of it, with the help on another book, "On the Ball" as well. Another i like about this book is some workouts have alot of variations. But this book is for those who already have good strength & stability! Soemthing i don't like is only a few workouts have the muscles they work. so when i was putting togather a program for me, other from the sample programs. I found myself flipping to a fitness book to compair them. I still say that, "This book has about half that only uses one stablity ball and some have free weights too. the rest of the workouts require up to 3 stablity balls. Plus some have have two 1/2 balls. I thinks this book is best if you want to use it in the gym with all the equipment you need." The pictures of details are great! And the information he gives you about the core workout is great. So I say that if you are looking for a fitness workout then pass this book up for a simple core workout, however if you are an athlete or a weekend warrior, like myself, this is a good book. But i still have no plan to buy all that other stuff like half balls or use the ball at the gym.

I wrote before,"I thinks this book is best if you want to use it in the gym with all the equipment you need. I personally go to the gym to use the machine... i do my core workout on the ball at home. (so when i fall off i won't feel as silly! j/k) So if you have a gym membership with all the supplies in the book ... go for it." However there are enough workouts for tsoemone at home and i would give this book 5 stars but them won't let me change it ;(
A Whole Other Ball Game: Women's Literature on Women's Sport
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The funniest, saddest, most moving collection of sportswrite
A Whole Other Ball Game: Women's Literature on Women's Sport

Manufacturer: Noonday Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0374525218

Amazon.com

Imagine an all-star team of writers such as Adrienne Rich, Fannie Hurst, Marge Piercy, Betty Bao Lord, Maxine Kumin, Tess Gallagher, and Laurie Colwin. Now imagine them casting their considerable literary prowess into the sporting ring. These writers form the core of an impressive roster in this long-overdue anthology. Filled with passion and insight, these poems, stories, and excerpts play all fields and beautifully explore and explain the different layers of exuberance and anguish unique to the sporting experience of women. These are no simple tales of victory, but rather finely wrought musings on the genuine possibilities that sports and competition hold out to the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The funniest, saddest, most moving collection of sportswrite.......1999-11-19

I recently selected this book for use in a new course I am teaching on sportswriting at the University of California, San Diego. When I went searching for a good example of sportswriting to counterbalance the many offerings by men, I was not encourage by the very small number of titles by women. This book astonished me in its variety and quality of contributions, AND it is fiction, which makes it all the more exiciting to read. Very personal, very gritty, very real. Read this book!
The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the High-Stakes Business of High School Ball
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • the story of greed and loathing in the ghetto
  • Interesting for curious fans, but..
  • very revealing and a great read.
  • A Jump Above the Rest
  • Ian O'Connor's prescient story about Sebastian Telfair
The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the High-Stakes Business of High School Ball
Ian O'Connor
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Basketball | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1594861072
Release Date: 2005-01-13

Book Description

On NBA draft night, June 24, 2004, high school senior Sebastian Telfair awaited his future inside a suite at the Trump International Hotel. One of the most hyped high school players of all time, with a $20 million Adidas deal in hand, Sebastian found himself in the same position as NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, both of whom shot to stardom without playing a day of college ball. THE JUMP offers an inside view of Sebastian's journey-a rags-to-riches story of a kid from the Coney Island projects who succeeds in leaving behind the chaos, violence and economic hardship at home for a multi-million dollar life of professional ball and product endorsement. Drawing on exclusive interviews with friends, family, coaches, recruiters, agents and players, USA Today columnist Ian O'Connor offers an intimate portrait of the promising young player's senior year at Lincoln High School and explores the changing nature of basketball in America today.Sebastian Telfair exemplifies a new dynamic emerging in basketball-young, talented teenagers who skip college on the way to NBA fortune and fame. But what is this trend doing to the sport? And do the adults who have hitched their hopes on Sebastian's rising star have the young player's best interests in mind? THE JUMP dives head first into today's high-stakes, anything-goes basketball culture, examining the sneaker companies intent on securing charismatic and mediagenic players to hawk their wares; college boosters willing to break NCAA rules by offering cash incentives to lure promising players to their schools; high school administrators securing big appearance fees from promoters; agents wooing players and their families-and walking the thin line dictating amateur status rules for high school and college ball. O'Connor also delves into the dream that the NBA holds for so many families-a child drafted into the pros offers a first class ticket out of the projects. A colorful cast of characters featured in THE JUMP includes the faces shaping the sport today: Rick Pitino, head coach of the University of Louisville, who recruits Sebastian with the hope of delivering his team to an NCAA championship only to see his dreams dashed by Sebastian's decision to enter the NBA draft; Andy Miller, the agent who vies to sign up Sebastian despite Erica and Otis Telfair's reservations; Stephon Marbury, star of the New York Knicks, who sees Sebastian more as a rival than a cousin (THE JUMP delivers exclusive details on the fracture in the Marbury and Telfair relationship, including interviews with the point guards and relatives on the subject of the family feud); Sonny Vacaro, at different times the face of Nike, Adidas, and Reebok, who uses sneaker company cash to entice coaches and young players; Jay-Z, rapper and owner of Telfair's summer-league team. Under O'Connor's penetrating scrutiny, Sebastian Telfair becomes the prism through which the circus of modern basketball is explored. Can he succeed, or will he flame out-too young, too small, too unprepared? And what is this new trend in basketball doing to the athletes, to college basketball programs, to the quality of play in the NBA and to society at large? As Dave Kindred of The Sporting News states, "THE JUMP is a 21st-century thrill ride into the shadows and bright lights of a basketball culture that breaks hearts and makes superstars."

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars the story of greed and loathing in the ghetto.......2007-01-13

well written and oftentimes riveting account of an undersized punk trying to get his...and does. very illuminating spotlight on the sneaker companies, their camps and the exploitation of talented black youths. If you like basketball, this is a must read.

3 out of 5 stars Interesting for curious fans, but.........2006-01-25

I read this book in one day so that should tell you something. It read quickly and wasn't too boring. Unfortunately it wasn't too exciting either. As a college and professional basketball fan, I enjoyed learning more about what goes on behind the scenes. I learned a lot about how competitive high school basketball is and how crazy recruiting works. I found Sebastian to be a fairly likable guy, but found his family somewhat greedy and money-hungry. I borrowed this book from my local library and wouldn't recommend anyone to pay money for it unless they are related to the author or a member of Sebastian's family. If I owned this book, I likely would NEVER pick it up again, much less read it.

5 out of 5 stars very revealing and a great read........2005-12-16

The book puts you behind the scenes in Bassy Telfair's last year in high school. Great writing! The author keeps it moving, gets out of the way of the story (unlike Adrian Wojnarowski's St Anthony's book), and makes you feel like you're there. I understood more about this scene from this book that any other. A couple of minor frustrations: 1. He jumps around a little in time without explcitly saying what year he's talking about; and 2. After mentioning that Telfair repeated 4th grade, he doesn't remind us that he's a year older than his grade would suggest even though that's probably important for some stories.

At some points it seems like the author wants us to see the folly of making a big deal out of kids' basketball, but here he is writing a book and making money off of it. All in all, though, O'Connor doesn't preach, he just tells the story and lets us decide what to think about it. One of the best-written basketball books I've read.

5 out of 5 stars A Jump Above the Rest.......2005-10-31

Sebastian Telfair was born into a poor family that lived in a bad neighborhood filled with violence and drugs in Brooklyn, New York. His dad was in and out of jail throughout his life and his mother struggled to work. The only provider he truly had was his older brother, an athlete who failed to make it to the next level, who failed to bring in the wealth like his now famous cousin Stephon Marbury did just a few years before. With Sebastian being one of the last children growing up in the Telfair family he was made into the last hope at a luxurious lifestyle.
Sebastian Telfair had always avoided the dangers of his neighborhood. Instead of being up to no good like some of his peers, he just played basketball all day long. Eventually Telfair became skilled in the sport like no other his age. In fact, as a 10-year-old he was actually ranked the best 4th grader in America Throughout his teen years he continued to persevere in his basketball dreams by winning numerous basketball tournaments and then excelling at Lincoln High School. After his four year run there, he came to an important decision in his life. Should he go to college or straight to the NBA? At first he said he would attend Louisville but the money was just too tempting and Telfair went straight to the NBA as the 13th pick by the Portland Trailblazers. As a rookie Telfair struggled; many of his critics claimed he should have gone to college to become more polished. Now he's getting prepared for his sophomore season hoping to make more of an impact.
The Jump was very descriptively written. Almost everything talked about in the book had some kind of background information included with it so that the reader would never be unaware of something. The story of Sebastian Telfair's life has its share of drama, so naturally his biography will too. From his past coaches trying to follow him to glory, to people trying to pressure him into life changing decisions, just about every page was filled with dramatic situations. Another factor that made me enjoy this book was all of the detailed basketball action that made it seem as though I was actually watching the game. For readers of all kinds, especially sports fans, this book will be a very appealing.

O'Connor did a great job of implementing detail into this biography. Not only did he elaborate extensively on Sebastian Telfair's background, but he did the same for almost every other person Telfair knew or encountered. For example, when writing about Sebastian as a junior high student playing for the Juice All-Stars of Brooklyn he described the coach, Ziggy Scaginano, and his past fully. A reader can really tell that O'Connor has done his research by all the information provided.
Probably the most interesting part of the book was all of the drama. The story of Sebastian Telfair's life written in The Jump seems perfect for a day- time soap opera. His dad and his brother were constantly having run-ins with the law while his mother had to stay home to care for all of the children. Telfair's cousin Stephon Marbury, who lived almost next door in their Coney Island apartment complex, made it to the NBA, taking his family with him, while leaving the Telfair's to remain in the projects. Sebastian's brother, Sylvester, had a great college basketball career, but when draft day came he and the rest of the Telfair's were left severely disappointed as not one team felt they needed him. Then when it comes time for Sebastian to make the most important decision in his life, everyone, including people he's not familiar with, tries to tell him what to do. There are so many different storylines involved that the reader can't possibly put the book down without hesitation.
Another part of the book, which will be mostly appreciated by basketball fanatics, is the amount of description during parts where basketball is played. In fact, O'Connor uses this to draw the reader's attention at the very beginning of the book when writing about Sebastian Telfair playing a championship tournament game at Rucker Park. The reason why these parts of the book succeed so much in catching the reader's attention is because of the elaboration put into them. The author describes the actions of the players and emotions of the crowd so well it makes you feel as if you were actually watching the game instead of reading about it.

The drama and basketball action complemented each other well in providing an entertaining book; while the detail made sure that the reader could fully understand and indulge in it. To a sports fan The Jump is a must-read book because of all the basketball action and related storylines. To the casual reader The Jump is an interesting book to pick up because of its descriptive and detailed writing, along with its addicting drama.

-C. Duncan

4 out of 5 stars Ian O'Connor's prescient story about Sebastian Telfair.......2005-08-15

"The Jump" is Ian O'Connor's excellent behind-the-scenes account of Sebastian Telfair's leap from New York City high school ball to the NBA. I recall that when Telfair arrived on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a generously-listed 6-foot guard from Lincoln High in Coney Island, he (as opposed to media phenom LeBron James the year before) seemed to explode into national prominence out of nowhere. O'Connor's book shows you that the author and other savvy talent spotters had tabbed Telfair as a potential NBA lottery pick 12 months or more in advance (indeed, O'Connor shows that people were annointing "Bassy" as NBA-grade as far back as fourth grade).

You've really got to hand it to O'Connor for having the prescience as a journalist to start following the kid, then watch his subject lead his team to third straight NYC title, land on the SI cover, sign a mega-deal with Adidas and become the first small high-school guard to be tabbed in the draft a lottery pick (Portland Trailblazers at #13).

All in all, a great read about the hidden (and rather seamy) side of the many, many hands in the circle trying to position and push an 18-year-old kid into the NBA. Through it all, Telfair comes out looking and sounding like a pretty good kid. From the tone of the book, it sounds like O'Connor would attest to that conclusion. It's amazing that with a veritable maelstrom around him all year, Telfair basically blocked out most of it and played some really fine ball in all-star settings, thereby sealing the lottery deal.

One can't help read this book and wonder how two recent events are going to forever change the the type of scenes O'Connor describes in 'The Jump'": David Stern's decision to increase the minimum draft age to 19; and Adidas' decision to buy Reebok (O'Connor demonstrates that the escalating "sneaker wars" are in large part driven by the fierce three-headed competition between Reebok, Adidas and Nike.).
Move Without the Ball: Put Your Skills and Your Magic to Work for You
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Applause Stedman -- Dead-on for our youth
  • Stedman, You're Capable Of Better
  • Shooting from the Hip
Move Without the Ball: Put Your Skills and Your Magic to Work for You
Stedman Graham
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal RelationsInterpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0743234405

Book Description

Athletics is a metaphor for life; that's why Move Without the Ball is not just for athletes. Anyone who has ever been involved in the pursuit of excellence understands the need for dedication, perseverance, and sacrifice. Everyday, young adults are bombarded with images and stories of extreme wealth and fame -- be it in sports, music, or Hollywood. Their vision of success can become limited to these areas, and they lose focus on developing other talents and skills. A reality check is in order, because the odds are fifty thousand to one that a student athlete will play in the NBA, and similar odds apply to aspiring singers and actors who expect they will be the next superstar. The upside is that there is a much bigger world out there for young people to explore and succeed in, and Move Without the Ball serves as the guidebook.

Stedman Graham -- businessman, lecturer, and author of the New York Times bestsellers Teens Can Make It Happen and You Can Make It Happen -- speaks honestly and directly to teens from his own experience. A former European professional athlete who never achieved his dream of playing in the NBA, Graham understands the pressures and temptations young people face. He discovered that there is a process for building success in many areas of one's life, and he has spent the last twenty years sharing this process with young people.

The book overflows with powerful and inspiring stories and photographs of sports stars of yesterday and today, including Hank Aaron, Greg Norman, Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm, Pelé, Dave Winfield, Serena Williams, Bo Jackson, and Cal Ripken Jr. -- just to name a few. It's not just these pros' athleticism that's highlighted in Move Without the Ball, it's the winning combination of courage, self-discipline, sense of purpose, and passion that they bring to their lives everyday -- both on and off the field.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Applause Stedman -- Dead-on for our youth.......2006-03-16

I'm an adult and a founding board member of a sports leadership program for high school athletes. The book is dead-on for helping not only young athletes, but any youth to understand and meet the challenges ahead (as a leader.) The stories were good and applicable. Although I found that the beginning of the book didn't pull like I'd want...Stedman provides solid guidance and useful information later on. It's an easy and quick read that could become a reference for its market. I intend to present the book to my organization to see if they'd like to look into purchasing it for our students. I understand Stedman has also created a program to put action to the intent of the book, and I'm looking into that as well. Mary Kurek

3 out of 5 stars Stedman, You're Capable Of Better.......2004-12-09

Anyone who's seen you talk knows that you must have kissed the Blarney Stone, for you are a powerful motivational speaker, and I was excited to get a copy of your newest book as a gift for graduation. But I was disappointed on opening the book to find out that your only advice in MOVE WITHOUT THE BALL gets repeated in innumerable ways for about 150 pages too long. Yes, it is for student athletes, but I don't think any of them would profit from your tips. This time you are moving with the ball, it is clenched between your arm and your ribs and it seems you are frozen in one rhetorical posture. TEENS CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN was a livelier book with more of an edge, and seemed to capture the dynamism of your speaking style. My mother always used to say, "Listen to Stedman Graham, because any man who could woo and win Oprah Winfrey must have a lot on the ball," and Mom is always right. However, the writing in MOVE is very flat and limp. You profile a lot of athletes and never hint that any of them are leading less than a perfect life. We know too much about the pains and troubles of life to believe you, life isn't easy even when you're moving without the ball. I believe you would like to boost the success ratio of kids, but empty words and promises are not going to do it. "Be honest," you say (on page 102). Why not tell that to Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi instead of to the young people who have never lied to you or to the American public. "Do the work that is required," but Stedman, we all know plenty of kids who do the right thing all the time and yet they are treated wrongly by the systems that prevail.

I like one piece of your advice, "Take the time to see things through," and I advise you to take more time, before you produce your nest best-weller, for my gut feeling is you are trying to write too many books too fast and the quality is suffering. You can't churn a book out like a tub of butter.

Your fan, Kevin

5 out of 5 stars Shooting from the Hip.......2004-09-06

This book should become required reading for all students in our high schools who have visions of a career in sports as well as other venues such as music, theater and otherwise that the road to these careers are not necessarily paved as exemplified in the media. It takes a lot of hard work, practice, practice, practice. Even then those who make it are few and far in between as Mr. Graham relates. As a young man I had visions of becoming a concert pianist but a wise and talented music teacher gave me information such as one will read in this book that I need to go outside the box and perhaps study something from which I could make a living. I studied accounting. I still play piano but in the privacy of my own home; I work in accounting and have worked ever since. (The copy of my book has a collating error in it. At what should be page 123, pages 75 thru 106 are repeated so that there are 31 pages of Stedman Graham's wisdom not there, however the rest of the book is an outstanding read).
BE A SPORT HOW TO BE AN AWESOME ATHLETE AND HAVE A BALL
Average customer rating: Not rated
    BE A SPORT HOW TO BE AN AWESOME ATHLETE AND HAVE A BALL

    Manufacturer: Scholastic Book Services
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Soccer | Sports | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0439187621

    Product Description

    More and more girls everywhere are getting involved in sports. This book explains why and how to become an athlete and still enjoy all the other parts of life as a young girl.
    Champions for Christ: A New Breed of Athlete, a Workout (1992)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Champions for Christ: A New Breed of Athlete, a Workout (1992)
      Greg Ball , and Helen Ball
      Manufacturer: Champions For Christ Publications
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: 1880322072
      If You Were a Ballplayer (If You Were A..., Set 2)
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        Virginia Schomp
        Manufacturer: Benchmark Books (NY)
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        Jackie Robinson: Pro Ball's First Black Star
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Jackie Robinson: Pro Ball's First Black Star
          James T. Olsen
          Manufacturer: Children's Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: School & Library Binding
          ASIN: 0516049615
          Open Court
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • Courtesy of Teens Read Too
          Open Court
          Carol Clippinger
          Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 0375840494
          Release Date: 2007-06-12

          Book Description

          Here I am not someone's little sister. Not someone's daughter. Not someone's friend. This game beckons me—chooses me. I am a warrior. An Amazon. I am beautiful. And I play to win.

          Holloway Braxton takes no prisoners on the tennis court. She's nationally ranked on the junior circuit, and she has outgrown the local competition. Her parents want to send her to a tennis academy where they regularly churn out professional players, but Hall isn't sure she's ready to devote her entire life to tennis, especially after her training partner has a breakdown at a tournament. Is it possible to be a tennis phenom and a regular teenager at the same time?

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-06-12

          It seems there are a lot of YA books lately with sports themes, but tennis isn't usually the sport of choice. Carol Clippinger's OPEN COURT presents the competitive and emotional pressures of tennis.

          Holloway "Hall" Braxton is just thirteen and is making her mark in the world of tennis. She has pretty much outgrown her competition in Colorado, so what is next? Both her coach and her parents think it's time to start looking at improving her world ranking, but Hall isn't sure she's ready. Competing in world class tournaments means moving on from her local coach and attending one of the private tennis academies her parents have been researching. It also means moving away from home.

          Hall's life is suddenly more complicated than ever. It's not just her tennis life that is changing. She and her best friend seem to be headed in different directions. Her doubles partner recently suffered a nervous breakdown and is currently living in a mental facility. And then there's Luke, the country club, private school heartthrob who is suddenly paying Hall a lot of attention.

          Every night Hall presses her ear to the heating vent between her room and the kitchen to hear her parents plot and plan her tennis future. Her father has his sights set on Bickford Tennis Academy in Florida. Her mother (Hall calls her The Weak Link) seems less sure about sending their only daughter off to swampy Florida and tennis torture. No one bothers asking Hall what she wants, and it's beginning to freak her out.

          For awhile Hall tries to lose herself in the world outside tennis. She hangs with her friends, especially handsome Luke and new friend, Polly. Amazed that someone as popular as Luke could be interested in her, Hall explores another side of her personality as she sneaks out for late night swims and make-out sessions. Her longtime friendship with best friend Eve is abandoned as she spends time with more rebellious Polly. But tennis continues to haunt Hall. Is it just a game or is it a much more important part of who she is?

          OPEN COURT reaches into the pressures of competitive tennis. The pressure to win, to please coaches and parents, the grueling hours of practice that interfere with friendships, and the powerful love of the game are all revealed in this fast-paced novel. Even those with little knowledge of the game of tennis will still appreciate the drive and determination that pushes and yet terrifies Hall. OPEN COURT is a worthwhile addition to any collection.

          Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
          Play ball!
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Play ball!
            James C Hefley
            Manufacturer: Zondervan Pub. House
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Unknown Binding

            GeneralGeneral | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
            ASIN: B0007F4NZG

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