Head Over Heels
Head Over Heels

Author: Hannah Orenstein

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2020-06-23

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1982121483

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Named a best beach/summer read by O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Parade, PopSugar, Marie Claire, Bustle, and more! From the author of the Love at First Like and Playing with Matches, an electrifying rom-com set in the high stakes world of competitive gymnastics, full of Hannah Orenstein’s signature “charm, whimsy, and giddy romantic tension” (BuzzFeed). The past seven years have been hard on Avery Abrams: After training her entire life to make the Olympic gymnastics team, a disastrous performance ended her athletic career for good. Her best friend and teammate, Jasmine, went on to become an Olympic champion, then committed the ultimate betrayal by marrying their emotionally abusive coach, Dimitri. Now, reeling from a breakup with her football star boyfriend, Avery returns to her Massachusetts hometown, where new coach Ryan asks her to help him train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. Despite her misgivings and worries about the memories it will evoke, Avery agrees. Back in the gym, she’s surprised to find sparks flying with Ryan. But when a shocking scandal in the gymnastics world breaks, it has shattering effects not only for the sport but also for Avery and her old friend Jasmine. Perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jasmine Guillory, Head Over Heels proves that no one “writes about modern relationships with more humor or insight than Hannah Orenstein” (Dana Schwartz, author of Choose Your Own Disaster).

Chalked Up
Chalked Up

Author: Jennifer Sey

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2008-04-22

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 0061351466

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The true story of the 1986 U.S. National Gymnastics champion whose lifelong dream was to compete in the Olympics, until anorexia, injuries, and coaching abuses nearly destroyed her Fanciful dreams of gold medals and Nadia Comaneci led Jennifer Sey to become a gymnast at the age of six. She was a natural at the sport, and her early success propelled her family to sacrifice everything to help her become, by age eleven, one of America’s elite,competing at prestigious events worldwide alongside such future gymnastics’ luminaries as Mary Lou Retton. But as she set her sights higher and higher—the senior national team, the World Championships, the 1988 Olympics—Sey began to change, putting her needs, her health, and her well-being aside in the name of winning. And the adults in her life refused to notice her downward spiral. In Chalked Up Sey reveals the tarnish behind her gold medals. A powerful portrait of intensity and drive, eating disorders and stage parents, abusive coaches and manipulative businessmen, denial and the seduction of success, it is the story of a young girl whose dreams would become eclipsed by the adults around her. As she recounts her experiences, Sey sheds light on the destructiveness of our winning-is-everything culture where underage and underweight girls are celebrated and on the need for balance in children’s lives.

Teaching Developmental Gymnastics
Teaching Developmental Gymnastics

Author: Garland O'Quinn

Publisher:

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 9780292781047

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Agility, balance, and coordination are important for all children, not just the athletically inclined. With this in mind, Garland O'Quinn has prepared a series of gymnastic activities that every child can learn at home or in school. Many of the activities in this book can be performed on the living-room floor, since the stunts are not dangerous nor do they require complicated gymnastics equipment. This instructional book is organized in easy-to-follow steps for children aged 3 to 11 and is designed for use by anyone interested in the physical development of children--parents and teachers alike. The activities are illustrated by sequential pictures to make the movements clear and easy to understand. The author, an Olympic gymnast, has refined these activities during twenty-five years of teaching gymnastics to children and has included the latest educational theory emphasizing the value of kinesthetic stimulation in a child's education. Developmental Gymnastics brings kinesthetic input to its highest level, stimulating the right and left sides of the brain to ensure a fuller and more complete integration of the child's perceptions. Teaching Developmental Gymnastics is O'Quinn's second book, successor to the immensely popular Developmental Gymnastics, which has been adopted by school districts around the country and is based on years of study of motor and sensory development. This new book continues his dedication to allowing each child to move at his or her own pace, relieving youngsters of restricting competitive physical education and making success a built-in factor.

Life Is Short, Don't Wait to Dance
Life Is Short, Don't Wait to Dance

Author: Valorie Kondos Field

Publisher: Center Street

Published: 2018-10-02

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1546077138

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Highly acclaimed UCLA Women's gymnastics coach of 7 NCAA championships Valorie Kondos Field shares insights on how to use uniqueness and authenticity to achieve success. Former professional ballerina Valorie Kondos Field--or Miss Val, as she's affectionately known--has never tumbled, flipped, or even played any type of organized sports, and yet she has been able to craft a legendary coaching career through curiosity, creativity, attention to detail, and unwavering care for the overall well-being of her athletes. For Miss Val, it's not about winning and losing, it's about choreographing your life and owning the choices you make. Miss Val has shaped her UCLA Gymnastics program as a life skills class and now she's sharing those lessons with you, whether you're an athlete, business leader, or simply someone who wants to own their destiny. Miss Val's philosophies are timeless. Her coaching style is unorthodox. Life Is Short, Don't Wait to Dance is a thought-provoking, fun journey through the anecdotes of the 35-year career of a dancer/choreographer turned athletic coach. The book includes unforgettable stories of the Olympians and athletes with whom she's worked-including the inspirational journey of Katelyn Ohashi, whose joyful transformation under the tutelage of Miss Val was evident to the world when her perfect 10 floor routine went viral -- reaching over 100 million viewers. Other triumphs include Olympian Jamie Dantzscher, who found her confidence at UCLA and learned the tools to combat her previous abuse; and sensation Christine Peng Peng Lee, who helped the Bruins clinch the 2018 NCAA championship with back-to-back 10's. Miss Val also shares her favorite memories of her mentor, legendary basketball coach John Wooden, as well as her thoughts on Larry Nassar and the gymnastics sexual abuse scandal. Miss Val reveals how her coaching journey had a rocky start before she found her own best approach. In time she realized that her dance background wasn't a detriment, it was a gift. When she embraced this, Miss Val led the Bruins to victory. Life Is Short, Don't Wait to Dance is packed with great advice for anyone on a quest for success, delivered in Miss Val's reassuring and inspirational tone. She took the same approach to her breast cancer diagnosis, explaining how she made that struggle into one of the best years of her life. For Miss Val, it's all about attitude. Life Is Short, Don't Wait to Dance is a powerful book that shows you how to make the leap of faith in choosing your own path to greatness.

It's Not Just Gymnastics; It's Life
It's Not Just Gymnastics; It's Life

Author: Lance Ringnald

Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 9781468151244

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A frightening bicycle accident could easily have brought an end to a young boy's dreams. But for Lance Ringnald, it seemed instead to open the door to a future full of promise. It was followed by enrollment in gymnastics classes, rapid advancement, and extraordinary opportunities. From the Olympics to the World Championships to the gymnastics Hall of Fame, Lance was able to make his dreams a reality. But for Lance, it was always about more than just gymnastics. It was about the thrill, the accomplishment, the opportunities, the learning, the friendships, and the philosophies. It was about life. Lance has kept all of that close to his heart, and he shares his story and his insight with refreshing honesty and unique wisdom. His story will take the reader through his childhood, through his experiences as a two-time Olympian, and into his life now as a professional entertainer on cruise ships. Penned by his good friend, Stacey Lake, Lance's story comes straight from his heart. It will touch readers of all ages, and it will give them the inspiration to "just do the best that they can."

Gymnastics Psychology
Gymnastics Psychology

Author: Joseph L Massimo

Publisher: Morgan James Publishing

Published: 2012-10-01

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 1600379486

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Gymnastics Psychology takes a comprehensive look at the factors that are necessary for training champions while emphasizing concern for the athlete’s psychological status, regardless of the level of achievement. The easy-to-follow articles cover the interpersonal relationships of coaches and athletes, psychological issues pertaining to motivation and fear management, meet preparation and goal setting, as well as vital family, school and peer relationships. The authors provide definitive insight in the areas of psychological development and competitive behaviors that are critical to success.

Flying High
Flying High

Author: Michelle Meadows

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (BYR)

Published: 2020-12-29

Total Pages: 23

ISBN-13: 1250819946

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A lyrical picture book biography of Simone Biles, gymnastics champion and Olympic superstar. Before she was a record-breaking gymnast competing on the world stage, Simone Biles spent time in foster care as a young child. Nimble and boundlessly energetic, she cherished every playground and each new backyard. When she was six years old, Simone's family took shape in a different way. Her grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles adopted Simone and her sister Adria. Ron and Nellie became their parents. Simone was also introduced to gymnastics that same year, launching a lifelong passion fueled by remarkable talent, sacrifice, and the undying support of her family. From her athletic early childhood to the height of her success as an Olympic champion, Flying High is the story of the world's greatest gymnast from author Michelle Meadows and illustrator Ebony Glenn.

Gym Mom
Gym Mom

Author: Rita Wieber

Publisher:

Published: 2012-07-01

Total Pages: 157

ISBN-13: 9780615645933

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Rita Wieber relays what she has learned as the mother of a world champion gymnast, and shares helpful tips to encourage other "gym moms."

Off Balance
Off Balance

Author: Dominique Moceanu

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2012-06-12

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 1451608675

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In this searing and riveting New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu reveals the dark underbelly of Olympic gymnastics, the true price of success…and the shocking secret about her past and her family that she only learned years later. At fourteen years old, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team, the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixyish appearance and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships. Off Balance vividly delineates each of the dominating characters who contributed to Moceanu’s rise to the top, from her stubborn father and long-suffering mother to her mercurial coach, Bela Karolyi. Here, Moceanu finally shares the haunting stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution from her coaches, and how she hit rock bottom after a public battle with her parents. But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside (all of which figure into Moceanu’s incredible journey), the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life. A mysterious letter from a stranger reveals that she has a second sister—born with a physical disability and given away at birth—who has nonetheless followed in Moceanu’s footsteps in an astonishing way. A multilayered memoir that transcends the world of sports, Off Balance will touch anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.

Feel No Fear
Feel No Fear

Author: Bela Karolyi

Publisher: Hyperion

Published: 1994-05-31

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 9780786860128

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The charismatic coach of gymnastic stars including Nadia Comanec and Mary Lou Retton chronicles his life and career, from troubles with Romanian secret police, through his decision to defect, to his fight for better gymnastics in the United States.