Our sports men and women share what it means to be at the top of their chosen sport in our picks of the new sports books this month — both what it takes to perform at the top of their sport (whether it be in a competitive or coaching role), or to be themselves as a top talent and find acceptance and understanding in the sporting world. Plus, pick up new skills or find a complementary sport, whether it be yoga for runners, or kiteboarding as a relatively new discipline. Have a browse!
Smithy : endless winters & the spring of ’22 / Smith, Wayne Ross
“Wayne Smith is arguably the finest rugby brain in the world – a man the players he coached dubbed ‘The Professor’. In Smithy: Endless Winters & The Spring of ’22, we’ll hear from not only Wayne, but also the women and men who took the Ferns to a World title. In this long-awaited memoir, Wayne Smith will tell his best, most entertaining, insightful, and amusing anecdotes from an amazing career in in the game. We’ll look inside the Black Ferns’ World Cup triumph, which saw Wayne go from a man entitled to free bus rides with his Gold Card, to the dancing leader of a diverse, vibrant group of players and coaches who won all Kiwis’ hearts.” (Catalogue)
The race to be myself : a memoir / Semenya, Caster
“Olympian and World Champion Caster Semenya is finally ready to share the vivid and heartbreaking story of how the world came to know her name. Thrust into the spotlight at just eighteen years old after winning the Berlin World Championships in 2009, Semenya’s win was quickly overshadowed by criticism and speculation about her body, and she became the center of a still-raging firestorm about how gender plays out in sports, our expectations of female athletes, and the right to compete as you are.” (Catalogue)
My journey to the World Cup / Kerr, Sam
“Sam Kerr is widely considered to be one of the best female footballers of all time. She is famous worldwide for her skills on the soccer pitch – but before she was the Matildas captain and the leading goal scorer for Chelsea, she was just an average Aussie kid who wanted to play AFL. This is her incredible football journey to the FIFA World Cup, from making the switch to soccer to becoming one of the best female strikers in the world. Sam gives us insights into what keeps her motivated, how she handles the pressures of life as a professional athlete and what she believes is really important in life. Inside you will find: Facts about the FIFA World Cup. Everything you want to know about the Matildas. Amazing facts about Sam – her early days, family life, teams, playing for Chelsea FC and the Matildas.” (Catalogue)
Yoga for runners : prevent injury, build strength, enhance performance / Williamson, Lexie
“Would you like to run further and faster? Want to find the perfect runner’s flow? Yoga is the key to unlocking your running potential. Practised by the world’s leading endurance athletes, yoga builds strength, improves flexibility and boosts recovery. Fully revised and featuring step-by-step exercises and workouts, the bestselling Yoga for Runners shows you how to: release running tight spots, like the hamstrings and hip flexors, strengthen weak muscles through power yoga moves, prevent injury with recovery techniques, and breathe more deeply and sharpen your mind. Suitable for runners of all levels, this is your essential training companion for strong and smooth running.” (Catalogue)
‘Unsuitable for females’ : the rise of the Lionesses and women’s football in England / Dunn, Carrie
“This book tells the story of women’s football in England since its 19th-century inception through pen portraits of its trailblazers. Find out about the women who broke barriers and set records the legends of the game who built the foundations of the stage upon which today’s stars flourish.” (Catalogue)
The kiteboarding manual : the essential guide for beginners and improvers / Gratwick, Andy
“Your complete practical guide to this fast-paced and addictive sport. Kiteboarding has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, and interest is only set to increase within its inclusion in the 2024 Paris Olympics. In this book, Andy Gratwick (Head of Training for British Kitesports) gets you started with the kite and takes you through to flying it on the water, jumping, tricks and racing, as well as covering weather, wind and tide theory, and helping you select the right kit.” (Catalogue)
Fishing the Tongariro : a history of our greatest trout river / Henderson, Grant
“Since the 1900s the fly fisher’s mecca that is the Tongariro River has lured people from all over the world to cast a line on its wide waters. Author Grant Henderson tells the river’s angling story – tracing the rise of the Tongariro River’s popularity as a fishing destination, the creation of the trout fishery, the famous and notable anglers who returned to it time and again, and the development of scientific fishery management and the river’s conservation. Illustrated with rare vintage photography, Fishing the Tongariro is a comprehensive history of our greatest trout river and its ongoing appeal as a celebrated trout fishing destination” (Catalogue)
