Winning track and field for girls

Gr 7 Up-These refreshing looks at girls in sports are detailed yet easy to read. Housewright starts with a good history of women's track. The chapters are then divided into topics such as sprints, hurdles, middle and long distances, relays, jumping events, throwing events, the heptathlon, cross-country, and the triathlon. Each of these chapters then goes into detail about the individual event and concludes with a section about record holders. Helpful drills and sample workouts are also provided. The last two chapters deal with mental preparation and nutrition, stretches, and weight lifting. Black-and-white photographs vary in quality; some are quite small and grainy. Quotes from famous women athletes add interest. Porter discusses the basics of weight training and safety in the weight room. The book is then broken down into sport-specific programs: basketball, softball, field hockey, and volleyball. The chapter on exercises has black-and-white photographs demonstrating the different routines. Safety and proper technique are stressed throughout. Good resources for girls interested in pursuing sports.-Kim Carlson, Monticello High School, IA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Track and field events have been a mainstay of athletics since the time of the ancient Greeks. Today track and field draws nearly half a million high school girls to competition and ranks second only to basketball in popularity with young female athletes. Winning Track and Field for Girls provides a history of how track and field developed over time, and all the information young athletes of today need to begin training safely for specific events. Winning Track and Field for Girls covers the basics of all the major events in which girls compete--sprinting, hurdling, middle distance running, relay races, high jump, shot put, discus, javelin, pentathlon, and many others. It also contains entertaining sidebars that spotlight legendary women athletes such as Marion Jones (world record holder for 200-meter dash) and Wilma Rudolph (1960 three-time gold medalist). Nutrition, fitness, and conditioning are discussed as important elements of success, and additional resources are presented in appendixes. Approximately 100 photographs illustrate many of the concepts and drills that are discussed. Excerpted from Winning Track and Field for Girls by Ed Housewright All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.