Sports

Sports literature comes in the form of biographies and autobiographies from athletes and coaches, but also in the form of fictional works supported by a sport setting or goal.

General
-Slot Machine, Chris Lynch
Elvin Bishop goes to camp for his new private school in order to find the perfect "slot" (sport). In the course of a couple of weeks, poor Elvin is bounced around from football to baseball to track, until he finds his perfect place

Baseball/softball
+The Natural, Bernard Malamud
follows the career of baseball player Roy Hobbs from his first false start to his Final failure. The story is divided into two parts, the first recounting an event during Roy's nineteenth year, and the second picking up the story some fifteen years later.

-Far from Xanadu, Julie Anne Peters
Mary Elizabeth (or Mike) is the star of her school's softball team, but because of problems stemming from her father's suicide, she has convinced herself she can't go far. She also falls in love with the new girl, the manipulative and straight Xanadu.

-Extra Innings, Robert Newton Peck
After a tragic accident kills his parents and seriously injures him, Tate goes to live with his great grandfather and Vidalia. Vidalia's stories about traveling with a Negro League baseball team insipre Tate to once again take the pitcher's mound, despite his grief and injury.

Basketball
-SLAM, Walter Dean Myers
Greg "Slam" Harris can do it all on the basketball court. He knows he could be one of the lucky ones, making it all the way to the top. But what if his luck runs out? His grades aren't so hot. His teachers are starting to catch on and his temper is always on the verge of exploding. Slam's going one-on-one with his future, and it's a showdown he can't afford to lose.

-Maravich, Wayne Federman, Marshall Terrill, Jackie Maravich
Gaining access to personal letters, albums and scrapbooks, plus spending hours with family members among some 300 interviews, has allowed the authors to craft the definitive biography of one of the most remarkable basketball stories in history. They reveal new facts and provide startling insight into Pistol Pete Maravich, who lived a life of triumph and tragedy before finding happiness in religion in the years before his death at age 40.

-Rebound, Bob Krech
Raymond Wisniewski loves playing basketball. But in his town, the Polish kids all wrestle, and the black kids play basketball. Rayis cut the first two years he tries out, but continues to better his game. The third year Ray is one of two white kids who make the team. This isn’t just about the underdog making the team. Ray learns about how prejudice isn’t predictable, good friends can become mean people, the loveliest girl can be nasty ugly inside, and your worst enemy can be an unlikely savior.

Boxing
-The Contender, Robert Lipstyle
Alfred doesn't want to live his life on the streets and end up like his best friend who has been caught up with drugs and violence. He begins to go to Donatelli's Gym to learn boxing.

Cheerleading
-Dreamland, Sarah Dessen
Caitlin's perfect sister, Cass, has run away. Caitlin, trying to get away from her sister's shadow, joins the cheerleading squad, and later becomes involved in an abusive relationship.

Football
-Roughnecks, Thomas Cochran
In a small Louisiana town, senior Travis Cody prepares for his state championship football game.
Skiing
-Slalom, R.L. Rottman
Sandro is an avid skier and works with his single mother at a Colorado ski resort. His life takes an interesting turn when a man, claiming to be his father, arrives.

Swimming/Diving
-Heat, Michael Cadnum
Bonnie is terrified to return to diving after hitting her head on the diving board. On top of that, her lawyer father has just been accused of stealing money from his clients.

-Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Chris Crutcher
High school swimmer, Eric ("Moby") discusses his friendship with Sarah Byrnes, who was severely burned as a child and who now lives in a psychriatic hospital.

Tennis
-Fifteen Love, Robert Corbet
Do tennis players Will and Mia like each other? Will they ever get together? In the meantime, Mia must deal with her father's infidelity and Will bonds with his newly disabled brother.

-Mixed up Doubles, Elana Yates Eulo
Hank, Jerome, and Sarah move with their father after their mother decides to focus more on her tennis career.

Cylving
-It's Not About the Bike, Lance Armstrong & Sally Jenkins
An autobiography exlaining the life of Lance Armstrong from his youth, through 3 forms of cancer, to his legendary status as a Tour de France champion.