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)

Continue reading “Rugby and Soccer World Cups: New Sports Books” →