Athletic
Shorts
Crutcher, Chris
Summary: Some of these stories revisit memorable characters, others introduce new characters facing challenges and doing their best, no matter what happens.
The Boy Who Saved Baseball Ritter, John H.
Summary: The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato.
The Contender Lipsyte, Robert
Summary: From high school dropout to champion boxer, a young man struggles toward an uncertain future. (Also: Chief)
Cover Up Feinstein, John
Summary: Two teenagers learn that every player on a professional football team- which is supposed to play in the Super Bowl - has failed their drug test and the owner has covered up the results, and now they must find a way to prove it.
The Edge Bo, Ben
Summary: Declan will do anything to fit into his new school – even if it’s illegal. But when he gets caught the results are tragic.
Dairy Queen Murdock, Catherine
Summary: After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival football team, sixteen-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her.(Sequals)
Deadline Crutcher, Chris
Summary: Given the medical diagnosis of one year to live, high school senior Ben Wolf decides to fulfill his greatest fantasies, ponders his life's purpose and legacy, and converses through dreams with a spiritual guide known as "Hey-Soos."
Football Genius Green, Tim
Summary: Troy, a sixth-grader with an unusual gift for predicting football plays before they occur, attempts to use his ability to help his favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, but he must first prove himself to the coach and players.
Friday Night Lights Bissinger, H. G.
Summary: Follows the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers, a high school football team in Odessa, Texas, exploring the lives of the players and the impact of the championship team on the small town.
Go Big or Go Home Hobbs, Will
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Brady and his cousin Quinn love extreme sports, but nothing could prepare them for the aftermath of Brady's close encounter with a meteorite after it crashes into his Black Hills, South Dakota, bedroom.
Gym Candy Deuker, Carl
Summary: Groomed by his father to be a star player, football is the only thing that has ever really mattered to Mick Johnson, who works hard for a spot on the varsity team his freshman year, then tries to hold onto his edge by using steroids, despite the consequences to his health and social life.
High Heat Deuker, Carl
Summary: When sophomore Shane Hunter’s father is arrested for money laundering at his Lexus dealership, the star pitcher’s life of affluence and private school begins to fall apart. (Also: Night Hoops)
Hoops Myers, Walter Dean
Summary: A talented young basketball player and his coach are told to lose a tournament and they must decide what to do. (Sequel: Outside Shot, Other Title: Slam)
Iceman Lynch, Chris
Summary: A mean hockey player learns something new and unexpected.
Ironman Crutcher, Chris
Summary: Bo must attend anger management classes while he prepares for the triathalon. (Other Titles: Whale Talk, Stotan)
Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By Robinson, Sharon Summary: Baseball hero Jackie Robinson’s daughter discusses nine values that her father held dear, shares memories from her life and her father’s that illustrate those values, and profiles individuals whom she considers heroes, including Christopher Reeve and Oprah Winfrey.
Juice Walters, Eric
Summary: When Coach Reeves retired, he was replaced by Coach Barnes, whose own determination to obtain a college post rested on his ability to create a division one high school team; however, to do this involved the illegal distribution of steroids to the team.
Knights of the Hill Country Tharp, Tim
Summary: In his senior year, high school star linebacker Hampton Green finally begins to think for himself and discovers that he might be interested in more than just football.
Long Shot Lupica, Mike
Summary: Pedro, an avid basketball player, decides to run for class president, challenging a teammate who is also one of the most popular boys in school.
Million Dollar Putt Gutman, Dan
Summary: Assisted by his neighbor, Birdie, blind thirteen-year-old "Bogie" Bogard will win one million dollars if he sink a ten-foot putt in Hawaii's fifth annual Angus Killick Memorial Tournament.
Open Court Clippinger, Carol
Summary: A thirteen-year-old tennis prodigy grapples with her seemingly incompatible desires to be an exceptional athlete and a normal teenager.
Out of Order Jenkins, A. M.
Summary: Popular sophomore baseball star Colt Trammel faces a personal crisis when his girlfriend dumps him, his failing grades threaten to bump him from the team, and he finds himself drawn to a new, green-haired girl at school.
Playing Without the Ball Wallace, Rich
Summary: Feeling abandoned by his parents, who have gone their separate ways and left him behind in a small Pennsylvania, seventeen-year-old Jay finds hope for the future in a church-sponsored basketball team and a female friend. (Other Titles: Wrestling Sturbridge, Shots on Goal)
Runner Deuker, Carl
Summary: Living with his alcoholic father on a broken-down sailboat on Puget Sound has been hard on seventeen-year-old Chance Taylor, but when his love of running leads to a high-paying job, he quickly learns that the money is not worth the risk.
Shift Bradbury, Jennifer
Summary: When best friends Chris and Win go on a cross country bicycle trek the summer after graduating and only one returns, the FBI wants to know what happened.
Tangerine Bloor, Edward
Summary: In spite of his bad eyesight, Paul knows he can be a soccer star – IF he is allowed to compete.
Ultimate Sports Gallo, Donald
Summary: Various authors contribute sixteen great short stories about teenage athletes and the rush of competition.
Vanishing Act Feinstein, John
Summary: Eighth-grade sports reporters Susan Carol and Stevie reunite at the U.S. Open tennis championships where they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a top Russian player. (Other titles)
Yellow Flag Lipsyte, Robert
Summary: When seventeen-year-old Kyle reluctantly succumbs to family pressure and replaces his injured brother in the family racecar, he struggles to keep up with his trumpet playing while deciding how- or if- he can continue making music with a brass quintet and headlines as a Nascar racer.
Summary: Some of these stories revisit memorable characters, others introduce new characters facing challenges and doing their best, no matter what happens.
The Boy Who Saved Baseball Ritter, John H.
Summary: The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato.
The Contender Lipsyte, Robert
Summary: From high school dropout to champion boxer, a young man struggles toward an uncertain future. (Also: Chief)
Cover Up Feinstein, John
Summary: Two teenagers learn that every player on a professional football team- which is supposed to play in the Super Bowl - has failed their drug test and the owner has covered up the results, and now they must find a way to prove it.
The Edge Bo, Ben
Summary: Declan will do anything to fit into his new school – even if it’s illegal. But when he gets caught the results are tragic.
Dairy Queen Murdock, Catherine
Summary: After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival football team, sixteen-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her.(Sequals)
Deadline Crutcher, Chris
Summary: Given the medical diagnosis of one year to live, high school senior Ben Wolf decides to fulfill his greatest fantasies, ponders his life's purpose and legacy, and converses through dreams with a spiritual guide known as "Hey-Soos."
Football Genius Green, Tim
Summary: Troy, a sixth-grader with an unusual gift for predicting football plays before they occur, attempts to use his ability to help his favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, but he must first prove himself to the coach and players.
Friday Night Lights Bissinger, H. G.
Summary: Follows the 1988 season of the Permian Panthers, a high school football team in Odessa, Texas, exploring the lives of the players and the impact of the championship team on the small town.
Go Big or Go Home Hobbs, Will
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Brady and his cousin Quinn love extreme sports, but nothing could prepare them for the aftermath of Brady's close encounter with a meteorite after it crashes into his Black Hills, South Dakota, bedroom.
Gym Candy Deuker, Carl
Summary: Groomed by his father to be a star player, football is the only thing that has ever really mattered to Mick Johnson, who works hard for a spot on the varsity team his freshman year, then tries to hold onto his edge by using steroids, despite the consequences to his health and social life.
High Heat Deuker, Carl
Summary: When sophomore Shane Hunter’s father is arrested for money laundering at his Lexus dealership, the star pitcher’s life of affluence and private school begins to fall apart. (Also: Night Hoops)
Hoops Myers, Walter Dean
Summary: A talented young basketball player and his coach are told to lose a tournament and they must decide what to do. (Sequel: Outside Shot, Other Title: Slam)
Iceman Lynch, Chris
Summary: A mean hockey player learns something new and unexpected.
Ironman Crutcher, Chris
Summary: Bo must attend anger management classes while he prepares for the triathalon. (Other Titles: Whale Talk, Stotan)
Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By Robinson, Sharon Summary: Baseball hero Jackie Robinson’s daughter discusses nine values that her father held dear, shares memories from her life and her father’s that illustrate those values, and profiles individuals whom she considers heroes, including Christopher Reeve and Oprah Winfrey.
Juice Walters, Eric
Summary: When Coach Reeves retired, he was replaced by Coach Barnes, whose own determination to obtain a college post rested on his ability to create a division one high school team; however, to do this involved the illegal distribution of steroids to the team.
Knights of the Hill Country Tharp, Tim
Summary: In his senior year, high school star linebacker Hampton Green finally begins to think for himself and discovers that he might be interested in more than just football.
Long Shot Lupica, Mike
Summary: Pedro, an avid basketball player, decides to run for class president, challenging a teammate who is also one of the most popular boys in school.
Million Dollar Putt Gutman, Dan
Summary: Assisted by his neighbor, Birdie, blind thirteen-year-old "Bogie" Bogard will win one million dollars if he sink a ten-foot putt in Hawaii's fifth annual Angus Killick Memorial Tournament.
Open Court Clippinger, Carol
Summary: A thirteen-year-old tennis prodigy grapples with her seemingly incompatible desires to be an exceptional athlete and a normal teenager.
Out of Order Jenkins, A. M.
Summary: Popular sophomore baseball star Colt Trammel faces a personal crisis when his girlfriend dumps him, his failing grades threaten to bump him from the team, and he finds himself drawn to a new, green-haired girl at school.
Playing Without the Ball Wallace, Rich
Summary: Feeling abandoned by his parents, who have gone their separate ways and left him behind in a small Pennsylvania, seventeen-year-old Jay finds hope for the future in a church-sponsored basketball team and a female friend. (Other Titles: Wrestling Sturbridge, Shots on Goal)
Runner Deuker, Carl
Summary: Living with his alcoholic father on a broken-down sailboat on Puget Sound has been hard on seventeen-year-old Chance Taylor, but when his love of running leads to a high-paying job, he quickly learns that the money is not worth the risk.
Shift Bradbury, Jennifer
Summary: When best friends Chris and Win go on a cross country bicycle trek the summer after graduating and only one returns, the FBI wants to know what happened.
Tangerine Bloor, Edward
Summary: In spite of his bad eyesight, Paul knows he can be a soccer star – IF he is allowed to compete.
Ultimate Sports Gallo, Donald
Summary: Various authors contribute sixteen great short stories about teenage athletes and the rush of competition.
Vanishing Act Feinstein, John
Summary: Eighth-grade sports reporters Susan Carol and Stevie reunite at the U.S. Open tennis championships where they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a top Russian player. (Other titles)
Yellow Flag Lipsyte, Robert
Summary: When seventeen-year-old Kyle reluctantly succumbs to family pressure and replaces his injured brother in the family racecar, he struggles to keep up with his trumpet playing while deciding how- or if- he can continue making music with a brass quintet and headlines as a Nascar racer.
