Sports

=SPORTS fiction =

Neely Crenshaw was once star quarterback for Messina High School's football team. His playing days ended with a sickening injury. Afterwards his life went nowhere: his marriage foundered and his real estate business drifted. For fifteen years he's been trying to forget his glorious past as sporting hero but hasn't been able to move on. But now the man who molded him, Coach Eddie Rake is dying and Neely returns to Messina. Rake has acted as football coach for 34 years at Messina High; his teams have won 13 state championships and been on an 84 game unbeaten streak. The town idolizes him. Players old and young have returned to pay their respects. Neely congregates with them on the bleachers as they wait for Rake to finally pass away. It is in the many co Thirty years have passed since eleven-year-old Paul Tracy watched his troubled father, Warren, a pitcher for the New York Mets, clash with his childhood hero, the Cubs' golden-boy Joe Castle, in a contest from which no winners emerged. Now the news that his father is dying brings the memory of that day flooding back. Deciding that it's time to face up to what really happened on that baseball field in 1973, father and son make their way to Calico Rock, Arkansas, where either redemption or rejection awaits them. nversations and revelations that follow that Neely can confront what his explosive relationship with Rake really meant to him and, in the moment of loss, find redemption.
 * Bleachers by John Grisham **

Thirty years have passed since eleven-year-old Paul Tracy watched his troubled father, Warren, a pitcher for the New York Mets, clash with his childhood hero, the Cubs' golden-boy Joe Castle, in a contest from which no winners emerged. Now the news that his father is dying brings the memory of that day flooding back. Deciding that it's time to face up to what really happened on that baseball field in 1973, father and son make their way to Calico Rock, Arkansas, where either redemption or rejection awaits them.
 * Calico Joe **

The story of two world-class women cyclists competing for the one remaining spot on their team for the upcoming London Olympics. Zoe and Kate have been friends and rivals since their first days of elite training. Not only will their friendship be tested, but they will be asked to make other sacrifices.
 * Gold by Chris Cleave **

The Book of Fame by Lloyd Jones – about rugby Chris Crutcher’s books are pretty good and probably suitable David Klass writes about American Football and my seniors like them Boy 21 is by Matthew Quick and is about basketball – lots of big issues in this small book Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand is about horseracing Barracuda by Christos Tolkas is about swimming (language warning on any of his books) Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby about Soccer/Football (is isn’t fiction really) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach – baseball <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The Crush, Boys 'r' Us plus other titles by Scott Monk <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The Big Field, summer Ball, The Underdogs, Million Dollar Throw, Miracle on 49th Street, plus more by Mike Lupica, <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Balls don't lie by Matt de la Pena <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Mickey Boulter Series by Harlan Coben, basketball the saving grace in a sea of uncertainty. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The reason for linsanity by Jeremy Lin and Linspired: the Jeremy Lin story, non-fiction <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Peak by Roland Smith (outdoor climbing) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Adrenaline Crush by Laurie Boyle Crompton <span style="font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">The Running Dream by Wendelin van Draanen <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Tahoma,sans-serif;">Speed Freak by Fleur Beale about car racing. Archie, the main character is 15, so the year 11 will probably enjoy it more. Archie is a great role model and so is his solo dad.

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