Undefeated

Undefeated: Jim Thorpe And The Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin, 280 pages

“Native American Jim Thorpe became a super athlete and Olympic gold medalist. Indomitable coach Pop Warner was a football mastermind. In 1907 at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, they forged one of the winningest teams in American football history. Called "the team that invented football," they took on the best opponents of their day, defeating much more privileged schools in a series of breathtakingly close calls, genius plays, and bone-crushing hard work. Sheinkin provides a true underdog sports story -- and an unflinching look at the U.S. government's violent persecution of Native Americans and the school that was designed to erase Indian cultures.” This was fascinating.  I knew nothing about Tbhorpe and very little about Pop Warner beyond his name.  The book read more like a story than a work of non-fiction, which made it fun to read, but it also imparted a lot of information, about the people, the history of football, and about the schools in general and Carlisle in particular.  This is a great book for history and sports buffs.

Top Prospect

Top Prospect by Paul Volponi, 270 pages

“Travis Gardner lives to play quarterback. He's a standout QB by the middle school, and he's prepared to put everything he has into the game. Then Gainesville University's head coach makes Travis a promise: Travis will have a place on the team, and a scholarship to go with it. He just has to get through high school first. As Travis starts ninth grade, he'll have to earn his teammates' trust and dodge opponents aiming to sack the star quarterback. But his biggest challenge might be staying focused in the face of sudden fame. Because now the pressure is on, and Travis has to prove himself with every pass.” This was a good story with well developed characters.  I’m not sure that I really liked the main character, because he was pretty arrogant, but I was still rooting for him.  He was definitely real and Volponi does a good job of making you care.  This is a good read for teens who like sports stories.

Hit Count

Hit Count by Chris Lynch, 362 pages

Arlo is a football player.  He's really good and loves the thrill of the hit.  His older brother played too but quit his senior year because he was still on the junior varsity team.  After that his life seemed to go completely off track.  Arlo is determined that won't happen to him.  Despite his mother's fears for possible brain damage or death from all of his hits, Arlo can't give it up.  Football, especially the hit, is what he lives for.  Even though the rest of his life is pretty good, with a great girlfriend, a good family, and decent grades, Arlo needs the adrenaline rush from the hit.  Even when he starts to have problems with dizziness, double vision, memory, and losing time, Arlo refuses to admit that anything could be wrong.  This was a pretty good book about the possible effects of football head injuries.  I really think that a lot of teen boys would probably like this book.