Scardy94 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 As weird as this is, but my school librarian just asked me if I wanted her to buy any wrestling books. I'm not much of a reader, so I figured the board would be the place to come. She currently has two wrestling books; Sturbridge and St. Michael's Scales. If we could get a list of good books about wrestling that would help me out tremendously. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Rulon Gardner's Book, Never Stop Pushing No Excuses by Kyle Maynard *He originally is from Fort Wayne** A Season on the Mat: Dan Gable and the Pursuit of Perfection ***Follows Iowa through a season of wrestling when Gable was the coach*** Four Days to Glory: Wrestling with the Soul of the American Heartland **Iowa High School wrestling** Make It Happen : The Inspiring Story of an NCAA Wrestling Champion by Mitch Clark **Highly recommended by Grecoref** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeandBreighton Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Rulon Gardner's Book Never Give Up by Kyle Maynard *He originally is from Fort Wayne** Those are just two off the top of my head that are good reads. Did Kyle make another book? The one I have is "No Excusses". I would read another from him. We just bought "Nearfall" by Joe Reasbeck. My older son is reading it and said it's pretty good. They are aslo supposed to be making it into a movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 No, I messed up the title, damn my first mistake of the year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trinedad Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 No, I messed up the title, damn my first mistake of the year! Did'nt you say before that you asked somene to marry you? That might count as a mistake for someone...... ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 That was last year though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlittlejohn Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Kyle Maynard over Christmas weekend while watching my son wrestle in the Kyle Maynard Classic at Collins Hill H.S. in Suwanee, Georgia. For those who may not know or remember, Kyle is the wrestler who was born a quadrupal congenital amputee (no arms below the elbow & no legs below the knees). As a senior he was a Georgia high school state finalist and went on to come within one match from placing in the Senior Nationals. At his tournament there was a half-hour break in which he put on a demonstration that was amazing to witness against a very good high school wrestler. But the motivational speach that he gave to kids following his demonstration was so much more impressive, espousing his philosophy of "No Excuses". I discussed with him the potential interest of having him come to Indiana and give a similar presentation, he was very receptive and we exchanged contact info. I intend to bring this up at the ISWA board meeting this Sunday. If the logistics could be worked out he is interested in coming to Huntington for the ISWA Folkstyle State. A lot of ifs, but I think it would be very inspiring for our kids and many adults as well. Any thoughts about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STARSMAN Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 that would be an awesome thing to see...i read a lot about him in highschool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teammills Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 The younger kids might like the book "NearFall" by Joe Reasbeck. We picked it up at the Christmas Duals in Michigan and both my son and I enjoyed reading it. It is focused more at the youth and middle school level though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busstogate Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Wrestling Sturbridge by Rich Wallace. Fiction about a Pennsyvania H.S. wrestler. Amazon.com Review Ben will be damned if he's going to stay in Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, when he gets out of high school. Work in the cinder block factory like everyone else? No way. He's also not going to let his friend Al win the state wrestling championship. Ben wants it more than Al does. Ben needs it more than Al does. Ben is going to win. Robert Cormier writes: "in a beautifully understated first novel, Rich Wallace brings the town and the teenager achingly alive as Ben wrestles not only his high school opponents, but with the big issues of life and love and the choices a teenager must make." From Publishers Weekly Anyone even remotely curious about small-town America need look no further than this exemplary first novel. Wallace's clipped, gently sardonic prose captures it all, from the red-faced former jocks in the wrestling booster club, to the teens with nothing to do but drink (a lot) and drive in an endless loop through town, to the Saturday night polka party on public TV. Narrator Ben, a high school senior, doesn't want to be like his father and so many others in Sturbridge, Pa., who after graduating get a job at the cinder block plant. Seemingly his only alternative is to become a state wrestling champion and thus win an athletic scholarship. But his way is firmly blocked by his buddy Al, who reigns supreme in their weight class, and Ben is relegated to the ignominy of being Al's practice partner and a benchwarmer during tournaments. Enter Kim, a Puerto Rican track enthusiast transplanted from New Jersey. Despite their close relationship, Kim won't put up with Ben's self-pitying, defeatist attitude. Wallace isn't writing a sports fairy story, so Ben doesn't achieve his goal; much more believably, he feels like a winner because he finally tries with all his might. The sports angle makes this a great "guy's" book, while the gripping narrative and feisty heroine will appeal to young women, too. A real winner. Ages 12-17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeandBreighton Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 No, I messed up the title, damn my first mistake of the year! So what do I win? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Barnes and Noble has Four Days to Glory for less than $4 right now for a nearly new book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scardy94 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 Thank you all for the help. Finally might be able to get some books I'll enjoy reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starsaw Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 One of my ALL-TIME favorites is: "The Edge", by Howard E. Ferguson......Head Wrestling Coach for St. Edward High School, Ohio. Printed in 1983....It's not just about wrestling, but about athletics, life and leadership! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 That is a great book and very hard to find. I would recommend it to every coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starsaw Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I checked it out fron the SA High School Library.....about 3 months ago, and just got an over due notice that said...."You will be charged $15.00 if this book is not returned!" I said charge me! lol I don't think any one in the school knew we had it....My coach, Coach Tatman bought it from "Cuss Word Money" and put it in the library for the wrestlers to read.....hummmm....maybe we need to start the Cuss Word Fund again, $1.00 for every bad word in practice......that could add up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbmcgee Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 pinned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grecoref Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I would recommend a book called "Wrestlers at the Trials" by James Moffit. The book details the Olympic Trials from 1960 thru 1988 with stories from the wrestlers, coaches and even some referees who participated in those trials. There is also an entire chapter on the Randy Lewis-LeRoy Smith protest/court case that left a black eye on the 84 trials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Short Jay Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Four Days to Glory is a great book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlittlejohn Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Blood Money: The Du Pont Heir and the Murder of an Olympic Athlete The story of David Schultz's murder by John DuPont. I bought it when it first came out in 1996, loaned it to a friend and never got it back >, haven't been able to find a copy since. Very interesting read. Gives the history of the DuPont fortune (built on selling gunpowder to both sides during the Revolutionary War) and Dave Schultz life story and how he helped John DuPont build Foxcatcher Athletic Club. Revealed answers to many questions as to what led one of the richest men in the world to murder one of the world's most beloved athletes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2016GrecoGold Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 "The Silent Gladiators" by Nicholas A. Hopping follows the 04 Olympic team. It is a very well written book. Probably the best book I've ever read. "Victory" by Steve Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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