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Serious
by John McEnroeJohn McEnroe enjoyed tremendous success at all levels of tennis, and he owns 77 career singles titles, including 7 Grand Slams. He joined the circuit in 1978 and it took him only three years to attain the No. 1 ranking. The 1980 Wimbledon final, between McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, is considered by many tennis experts to be the best match ever, a five-set thriller which McEnroe avenged the following year for his first Wimbledon title.In doubles, McEnroe is recognised as the best player of all time. He was ranked No. 1 for a record 257 weeks and captured a total of 74 titles, including 8 Grand Slams. Still an active player, McEnroe is now an outstanding tennis commentator and broadcaster for the BBC and other national networks. This autobiography, his first, covers an awesome tennis career, marriage to movie star Tatum O'Neal and where arguably the greatest tennis player of all time goes from here.This is SERIOUS.
Serious Games für die Gesundheit: Anwendung in der Prävention und Rehabilitation im Überblick (essentials)
by Josef WiemeyerJosef Wiemeyer bietet in diesem essential einen Überblick über die Arten und Anwendungsbereiche von Serious Games im Gesundheitsbereich und behandelt Spielinhalte, Wirkungsmechanismen, Wirkungsnachweise und Anwendungssettings. Die vorgestellten Einsatzbeispiele in Prävention und Rehabilitation belegen eindrucksvoll die Stärken von Serious Games – die kritische Analyse zeigt aber auch, dass Serious Games kein Allheilmittel sind, sondern eine interessante und attraktive Ergänzung bisheriger Interventionsmethoden bieten.
Serious Leisure: A Perspective for Our Time (Leisure Studies In A Global Era Ser.)
by Robert A. StebbinsSerious Leisure offers a comprehensive view and analysis of the current state of the sociology of leisure. Defining and differentiating the way people use their free time, Stebbins divides such activity into categories of serious, casual, and project-based leisure that he further separates into a variety of types and subtypes. Together they comprise what he calls serious leisure.In this perspective, serious leisure constitutes systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer activity sufficiently substantial and interesting in nature and requiring special skills, knowledge, and experience. Casual leisure, though immediately, intrinsically rewarding, is by contrast a relatively short-lived pleasurable activity, requiring little or no special training to enjoy it. Project-based leisure is a short-term, reasonably complicated, occasional creative undertaking carried out in free time. Stebbins sets out the basic concepts and propositions that make up the three forms, focusing on their essential elements. He takes stock of the serious leisure literature as well as that for casual and project-based leisure.Stebbins sees serious leisure realized by way of a set of foundational concepts--organization, community, history, lifestyle, and culture--and several of their component areas. He reviews the history and background of the concept of serious leisure and then adds historical commentary on, first, casual leisure and, then, project-based leisure. Finally, he examines the future and the importance of the serious leisure perspective in a globalizing world, and some of its critical links with other fields of knowledge and practice, notably the nonprofit sector and preventive medicine.Together with its original insights, Serious Leisure offers a single, handy, coherent, comprehensive resource. It will be of interest to sociologists, labor studies specialists, and economists.
The Serious Leisure Perspective: An Introduction
by Sam Elkington Robert A. StebbinsThe "Serious Leisure Perspective" (SLP) is a theoretical framework that can help us understand the complexities of modern leisure as both an activity and an experience. Bringing together the study of serious leisure, casual leisure and project-based leisure, it is an essential component of the Leisure Studies curriculum and an invaluable tool for exploring the significance of leisure in contemporary society. This book is the first of offer a comprehensive introduction to the Serious Leisure Perspective, from fundamental principles and key concepts to in-depth and wide-ranging case studies of serious leisure pursuits. The book introduces the history of the SLP and its position alongside other social theories that attempt to explain the nature and function of leisure. It explores important themes such as consumption, gender relations, social capital and quality of life, and delves deeply into the leisure of amateurs, hobbyists, career volunteers and occupational devotees. Every chapter includes a range of useful pedagogical features, such as review questions and group exercises, to help the student to grasp the importance of understanding leisure as a way of understanding contemporary social life and society. Combining cutting-edge theory and method with an engaging and practical interface, this is an essential text for all Leisure Studies courses and illuminating reading for any student working in Tourism, Events, Sport, Recreation, Sociology or Cultural Studies.
Serious Sport: J.A. Mangan's Contribution to the History of Sport (Sport in the Global Society)
by Scott A.G.M.CrawfordTrial-blazer and mentor, Professor J.A. Mangan is a distinguished scholar in the fields of sports history whose work has inspired a generation of historians and social scientists across the globe. His seminal book on athleticism and imperialism commanded attention and applause from a broad range of historians and social scientists across the globe. His seminal work on athleticism and imperialism commanded attention and applause from a broad range of historians. It opened new horizons of inquiry providing the field with a richly perceptive study of hegemony and patronage, of cultural assimilation and adaptation, and of the ways that power elites used sport for socialization, acculturation and social control. His later works continued to pose critical, sometimes controversial questions, providing new and provocative insights into the complex social issues involved in the development and diffusion of sporting activity. The geographical horizons of his work now span the globe.This volume is a fitting tribute to the scholarship and lasting accomplishments of a pioneer who has mentored - and continues to mentor - numerous young scholars internationally, simultaneously developing and maintaining high quality channels through which to disseminate sport history research. In appraising his scholarship the contributors to this collection demonstrate their debt to his vision and achievements.This volume was previously published as a special issue of The International Journal of the History of Sport
Seriousness and Women's Roller Derby: Gender, Organization, and Ambivalence (Leisure Studies in a Global Era)
by Maddie BreezeThis book explores seriousness in practice in the unique sports context of contemporary women's flat track roller derby. The author presents a stimulating argument for a sociology of seriousness as a productive contribution to understandings of gender, organization and the mid-ranges of agency between dichotomies of voluntarism and determinism.
Seriousness and Women's Roller Derby: Gender, Organization, and Ambivalence (Leisure Studies in a Global Era)
by Maddie BreezeThis book explores seriousness in practice in the unique sports context of contemporary women's flat track roller derby. The author presents a stimulating argument for a sociology of seriousness as a productive contribution to understandings of gender, organization and the mid-ranges of agency between dichotomies of voluntarism and determinism.
Serve to Win
by Novak Djokovic William DavisIn 2011, Novak Djokovic had what sportswriters called the greatest single season ever by a professional tennis player: He won ten titles, three Grand Slams, and forty-three consecutive matches. Remarkably, less than two years earlier, this champion could barely complete a tournament. How did a player once plagued by aches, breathing difficulties, and injuries on the court suddenly become the #1 ranked tennis player in the world? The answer is astonishing: He changed what he ate. In Serve to Win, Djokovic recounts how he survived the bombing of Belgrade, Serbia, rising from a war-torn childhood to the top tier of his sport. Then he reveals the diet that transformed his health and pushed him to the pinnacle. While Djokovic loved and craved bread and pasta, and especially the pizza at his family's restaurant, his body simply couldn't process wheat. Eliminating gluten--the protein found in wheat--made him feel instantly better, lighter, clearer, and quicker. As he continued to research and refine his diet, his health issues disappeared, extra pounds dropped away, and his improved physical health and mental focus allowed him to achieve his two childhood dreams: to win Wimbledon, and to become the #1 ranked tennis player in the world. Now Djokovic has created a blueprint for remaking your body and your life in just fourteen days. With weekly menus, mindful eating tips for optimal digestion, and delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes, you'll be well on your way to shedding extra weight and finding your way to a better you. Djokovic also offers tips for eliminating stress and simple exercises to get you revved up and moving, the very same ones he does before each match. You don't need to be a superstar athlete to start living and feeling better. With Serve to Win, a trimmer, stronger, healthier you is just two weeks away.From the Hardcover edition.hysical and mental performance."--Maria SharapovaFrom the Hardcover edition.
Setting the Pace (Pine Hollow #15)
by Bonnie BryantThe Pine Hollow girls ring in the New Year with unexpected beginnings—and endings It&’s been an eventful year—and the excitement is not winding down just because it&’s New Year&’s Eve. Carole never dreamed that falling in love could happen so fast—but Cam is speeding things along, and Carole&’s doing her best to keep up. While Stevie helps a friend confront his past, Lisa has lots of decisions to make about her future. What will the New Year bring? And do the girls have the courage to face it?
Setting the Pace (High Hurdles #3)
by Lauraine SnellingHIGH HURDLES. When Lindy Randall announces her engagement to Robert Crowder, DJ is floored. How can her mother even consider taking on a husband and twin boys when she is only now beginning to get along with the family she has? DJ turns to her training at Briones Riding Academy to forget her troubles, but life at the Academy has acquired an ugly edge--no thanks to Tony Andrada. The academy newcomer has singled out DJ's friend Hilary as the target for his cruel racist remarks, and it's gotten so bad, Hilary is ready to call it quits. Desperate, DJ resolves to find a way to end her problems at home and the Academy for good--but will her plans have a disastrous effect on her performance in the showering? Is DJ ready to face the challenges before her?
Settle the Score: Saving The Team; Sabotage Season; Win Or Lose; Hat Trick; Shaken Up; Settle The Score (The Kicks)
by Alex MorganFrom soccer star, Olympic gold medalist, and bestselling author Alex Morgan comes the sixth book in an empowering and fun-filled middle grade series about believing in yourself and working as a team.Devin is finally catching her stride with the winter soccer league, and as the championships approach, Devin and Jessi's team has a real shot at coming out on top! Only, Zoe's team does too, and suddenly things get awkward between the Kicks. Devin tries to keep her head, but she's torn--she wants her friend to be happy, but she wants to win, too! And Zoe's too busy strategizing with her new teammates to make time for the Kicks. As the finals get closer, tensions rise until even Frida and Emma don't know who to root for. Maybe this time the Kicks can't stand up under the weight of competition.
The Setup Man
by T. T. Monday"A throwback Southern California mystery in modern pinstripes . . . A treat for readers of mystery or baseball novels." --KIRKUS REVIEWSJohnny Adcock is an aging Major League pitcher with the perfect retirement plan--he moonlights as a private investigator. Major League Baseball, as it turns out, is a prime source of employment for a philosophically inclined, discreet detective who has both the brains and the brawn to handle the unique problems of professional athletes. Those infamous baseball salaries attract gangsters, hustlers, and predators of every persuasion who prey on the outsized egos of primetime stars. When players, coaches, agents, or wives have a problem they can't make public, they call Johnny Adcock. On the team bus after a game, teammate Frankie Herrera confides in Adcock that he has a "problem with his wife." What sounds like the standard story of a pro athlete's marriage gone sour quickly turns into the most dangerous case of Adcock's second career when Frankie is killed in a car accident, leaving far too many questions unanswered. The investigation takes Adcock into uncharted territory, drawing him into a deadly ring of murder, porn, Mexican cartels, and a conspiracy that threatens to become the biggest scandal to hit baseball since HGH and steroids. A new heavy hitter on the thriller scene, T. T. Monday takes readers inside a rich and highly entertaining world where crime and baseball intersect and delivers a debut that moves like a 96-mile-an-hour fastball.From the Hardcover edition.
Seve: A Biography of Severiano Ballesteros
by Alistair TaitSeve is the most extrovert player Europe has ever produced. Playboy good looks along with a magnetism that attracted non-golfers to the game made him the biggest drawing card Europe has ever had. He emerged on the world scene with typical élan, hitting one of the most outrageous shots ever seen at the 1976 Open Championship. Three years later he became the youngest Open Champion of the modern era when he won the first of his five major championships. Ballesteros started Europe's domination of the Majors throughout the 80s and 90s, paving the way for Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Jose Maria Olazabal. His play in the Ryder Cup, fuelled by an intense dislike for Americans, helped restore Europe's pride in the event. Driven byBasque pride and with a fiery Latin temperament, Seve has often let his heartrule his head.Seve is the remarkable story of one of the game's most fascinating characters.
Seven Days
by Cristina BruniDuring a golf tournament in Virginia, American golfer Reggie Weston meets Russell Lee, the British former world champion in the sport. The two men hit it off when Russell takes Reggie under his wing, teaching him the tricks of the game.As their friendship deepens, Reggie finds himself falling in love with the Englishman, though he knows Russell doesn’t feel the same. He’s painfully aware of the fact that Russell isn’t gay.But there’s more to Russell than meets the eye. He’s a troubled soul, plagued by monsters in his head telling him who he should be. He’s spent most of his life hiding his sexuality from the world so he won’t disappoint his homophobic mother.Is seven days enough time for Russell to break through the years of hurt and accept the new direction fate has in store for him and Reggie?
Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong
by David WalshWhen Lance Armstrong fought back from life-threatening cancer to win the 1999 Tour de France - the so-called 'Tour of Renewal' - it seemed almost too good to be true. It was. Sunday Timesjournalist David Walsh was one of a small group who was prepared to raise awkward questions about Armstrong's seemingly superhuman feats. And so began a 13-year battle to reveal the truth that finally ended in October 2012 when the cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour victories and banned from the sport for life. Walsh's gripping and moving personal account of his struggles is a revealing insight into the murkier end of professional cycling - a place where having the right doctor can make all the difference and where there existed a conspiracy of silence. As he shows, it never was about the bike. However, spurred on by a few brave people who were prepared to speak out in the hope of saving the sport they loved, Walsh continued to probe, and eventually he was vindicated when Armstrong's reputation was ruined. In this updated edition, covering Armstrong's confession to Oprah, Seven Deadly Sinstakes the reader into a world of doping and lies, but shows that there is always hope for a better future.
Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong
by David WalshWhen Lance Armstrong fought back from life-threatening cancer to win the 1999 Tour de France - the so-called 'Tour of Renewal' - it seemed almost too good to be true. It was. Sunday Timesjournalist David Walsh was one of a small group who was prepared to raise awkward questions about Armstrong's seemingly superhuman feats. And so began a 13-year battle to reveal the truth that finally ended in October 2012 when the cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour victories and banned from the sport for life. Walsh's gripping and moving personal account of his struggles is a revealing insight into the murkier end of professional cycling - a place where having the right doctor can make all the difference and where there existed a conspiracy of silence. As he shows, it never was about the bike. However, spurred on by a few brave people who were prepared to speak out in the hope of saving the sport they loved, Walsh continued to probe, and eventually he was vindicated when Armstrong's reputation was ruined. In this updated edition, covering Armstrong's confession to Oprah, Seven Deadly Sinstakes the reader into a world of doping and lies, but shows that there is always hope for a better future.
Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong
by David WalshThe basis for the upcoming major motion picture The Program directed by Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, The Queen, Philomena), starring Chris O'Dowd as journalist David Walsh and Ben Foster as Lance Armstrong.When Lance Armstrong won his first Tour de France in 1999, the sports world had found a charismatic new idol. Journalist David Walsh was among a small group covering the tour who suspected Armstrong's win wasn't the feel-good story it seemed to be. From that first moment of doubt, the next thirteen years of Walsh's life would be focused on seeking the answers to a series of hard questions about Armstrong's astonishing success. As Walsh delved ever deeper into the shadow world of performance-enhancing drugs in professional athletics, he accumulated a mounting pile of evidence that led a furious Armstrong to take legal action against him. But he could not make Walsh--or the story--go away, and in the autumn of 2012, Walsh was vindicated when the cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. With this remarkable book, Walsh has produced both the definitive account of the Armstrong scandal, and a testament to the importance of journalists who are willing to report a difficult truth over a popular fantasy.
Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong
by David WalshThe story of Lance Armstrong - the cyclist who recovered from testicular cancer and went on to win the Tour de France a record seven times, the man who wrote a bestselling and inspirational account of his life, the charitable benefactor - seemed almost too good to be true. And it was. As early as Armstrong's first victory on the Tour in 1999, Sunday Times journalist David Walsh had reason to think that the incredible performances we were seeing from Armstrong were literally too good to be true. Based on insider information and dogged research, he began to unmask the truth. Cycling's biggest star used every weapon in his armoury to protect his name. But he could not keep everyone silent. In the autumn of 2012, the USADA published a damning report on Armstrong that resulted in the American being stripped of his seven Tour victories and left his reputation in shreds. Walsh's long fight to reveal the truth had been vindicated. This book tells the compelling story of one man's struggle to bring that truth to light against all the odds.
Seven League Boots: Adventures Across The World From Arabia To Abyssinia
by Richard HalliburtonSeven League Boots, which was first published in 1935 and his fifth and final book, details American adventurer Richard Halliburton’s epic adventures in a variety of remote places. The author of The Royal Road to Romance, who seems incapable of writing a dull page, reports each of his new adventures with the same contagious zest, the same charm and swing and dash that have won such unrivaled popularity for his other tales. In this fifth and final book, richly illustrated throughout with striking pictures, the reader will be taken on a journey of Halliburton’s dinner with Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia; his interview with the infamous assassin of Czar Nicholas II in Russia; his attempt to sneak into the forbidden city of Mecca; and, finally, his elephant march over the Alps in the tracks of Hannibal. It is Halliburton at his best, reckless and romantic.
The Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits while Leaning on Each Other
by Chris Norton Emily NortonHe was told he'd never walk again. She was losing hope that she'd ever feel whole again. This is their miraculous true story of defying the impossible."In my very first impression of Chris, I was blown away by his determination to stay positive, do the work, and trust that God had a bigger story in mind . . . this book is a master class in the power of perseverance." -Tim TebowQuadriplegics simply do not walk again - yet millions watched as Chris Norton defied incredible odds and took step by impossible step across his graduation stage. With his fiancée Emily by his side, those unbelievable steps became the start of an extraordinary journey for them both. Told from both of their unique perspectives, this moving story invites you to find, as Chris and Emily have, that God can transform our lowest points into life's greatest gifts.In a moment, Chris went from a talented college football player with a promising future to a quadriplegic with a 3 percent chance of ever moving or feeling anything below his neck, much less walking again. Determined to prove the doctors wrong, he pushed himself through grueling, daily workouts to achieve his goal four years later: walking the stage to receive his college diploma with Emily's help, and to the world's astonished applause. Meanwhile, Emily faced her own challenges as she sunk into a deep battle against anxiety and depression, despite her life's outward blessings. Day by day, decision by decision, Chris and Emily committed themselves to taking the extra step, trusting God, and leaning on the help of others. In a story of courageous faith and grit, this extraordinary couple's journey ultimately led them to tackle the seven longest yards - down the wedding aisle and into a new life together.And what a new life it is: Chris and Emily have adopted five beautiful girls and welcomed foster children - seventeen and counting! - into their home and hearts. Let this book be your inspiration for defying your own impossible, and finding joy on the other side.
Seven Men: And the Secret of Their Greatness
by Eric MetaxasIn Seven Men, New York Times best-selling author Eric Metaxas presents seven exquisitely crafted short portraits of widely known-but not well understood-Christian men, each of whom uniquely showcases a commitment to live by certain virtues in the truth of the gospel. Written in a beautiful and engaging style, Seven Men addresses what it means (or should mean) to be a man today, at a time when media and popular culture present images of masculinity that are not the picture presented in Scripture and historic civil life. What does it take to be a true exemplar as a father, brother, husband, leader, coach, counselor, change agent, and wise man? What does it mean to stand for honesty, courage, and charity, especially at times when the culture and the world run counter to those values? Each of the seven biographies represents the life of a man who experienced the struggles and challenges to be strong in the face of forces and circumstances that would have destroyed the resolve of lesser men. Each of the seven men profiled-George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, John Paul II, and Charles Colson-call the reader to a more elevated walk and lifestyle, one that embodies the gospel in the world around us.
Seven Seconds or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin' and Gunnin' Phoenix Suns
by Jack MccallumIn Seven Seconds or Less, Sports Illustrated's chief NBA writer, Jack McCallum, gets in the paint with the Phoenix Suns and takes a season-long look at the NBA's most exciting and controversial team. <P> A few weeks before the 2005-2006 NBA training camps began, Jack McCallum called the Phoenix Suns ace director of public relations to propose a story idea for Sports Illustrated. He would spend the preseason with the team as an "assistant coach" and then write a story about his experiences. He was quickly granted access, and while his role as "assistant coach" lasted only through the preseason, McCallum stayed on with the team throughout their amazing 2005-2006 season. McCallum was looking for real inside access and he certainly got it. He spent the season in the locker room and in the coaches' meetings, learning what makes this wildly popular, innovative, and international assemblage of talented players and brilliant coaches tick. <P> For years, NBA basketball was marked by a plodding, dull-as-dishwater style of play -- that was until coach Mike D'Antoni, point guard Steve Nash, and the high-flying Phoenix Suns set the league on fire with their old-school, run-and-gun approach to offense. Along the way they won back legions of disillusioned fans and demonstrated the virtues of team play to a league preoccupied with one-on-one theatrics. <P> In Seven Seconds or Less, McCallum describes his year trying to keep up with the fast-breaking Suns on and off the court. He takes readers inside the heads of Nash, the team's mercurial floor general; the maverick D'Antoni; and dozens of others who make up the close-knit Suns family. On the court, there's excitement as the Suns overcome a rash of injuries to once again battle for a conference title. Off the court, controversy rages as the team endures a major front-office change in midseason. Throughout it all, the team continues to bedevil opponents and challenge the status quo with their throwback style. <P> In the spirit of Buzz Bissinger's Three Nights in August and John Feinstein's A Season on the Brink, Seven Seconds or Less is an in-depth look at one of the greatest shows in sports.
Seven Seconds or Less
by Jack MccallumIn Seven Seconds or Less, Sports Illustrated's chief NBA writer, Jack McCallum, gets in the paint with the Phoenix Suns and takes a season-long look at the NBA's most exciting and controversial team. A few weeks before the 2005-2006 NBA training camps began, Jack McCallum called the Phoenix Suns ace director of public relations to propose a story idea for Sports Illustrated. He would spend the preseason with the team as an "assistant coach" and then write a story about his experiences. He was quickly granted access, and while his role as "assistant coach" lasted only through the preseason, McCallum stayed on with the team throughout their amazing 2005-2006 season. McCallum was looking for real inside access and he certainly got it. He spent the season in the locker room and in the coaches' meetings, learning what makes this wildly popular, innovative, and international assemblage of talented players and brilliant coaches tick. For years, NBA basketball was marked by a plodding, dull-as-dishwater style of play -- that was until coach Mike D'Antoni, point guard Steve Nash, and the high-flying Phoenix Suns set the league on fire with their old-school, run-and-gun approach to offense. Along the way they won back legions of disillusioned fans and demonstrated the virtues of team play to a league preoccupied with one-on-one theatrics. In Seven Seconds or Less, McCallum describes his year trying to keep up with the fast-breaking Suns on and off the court. He takes readers inside the heads of Nash, the team's mercurial floor general; the maverick D'Antoni; and dozens of others who make up the close-knit Suns family. On the court, there's excitement as the Suns overcome a rash of injuries to once again battle for a conference title. Off the court, controversy rages as the team endures a major front-office change in midseason. Throughout it all, the team continues to bedevil opponents and challenge the status quo with their throwback style. In the spirit of Buzz Bissinger's Three Nights in August and John Feinstein's A Season on the Brink, Seven Seconds or Less is an in-depth look at one of the greatest shows in sports.
The Sevenpenny Gate: A Lifelong Love Affair with Celtic FC
by John Cairney'Clutching in my hand my seven copper pennies, I ran down the two flights of stone stairs from our tenement flat and through the East End to Kinloch Street, where, puffing a bit, I joined the queue of other wee boys lining up to place their coins on the brass plate above the iron turnstile, push hard against it, then climb up onto the dirt terracing and into Paradise. The rest of the world called it Celtic Park.'This is a story seen through green-and-white spectacles. It begins when nine-year-old Glaswegian John Cairney walks through the boys' gate at Celtic Park and embarks on a series of adventures that, over the years, take him all over Scotland and beyond.The Sevenpenny Gate is about a search for heroes, Celtic heroes. It is also the tale of an East End club of humble Irish origins that has developed into a worldwide brand and continues to command the devotion of its fans, even with the Celtic diaspora now spread across the globe.
Sevens Heaven: The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji's Olympic Dream: WINNER OF THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019
by Ben RyanSHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018The uplifting, feel-good autobiography of Ben Ryan, the coach of the Olympic gold-medal winning Fijian rugby team It is late summer 2013. Ben Ryan, a red-haired, 40-something, spectacle-wearing Englishman, is given 20 minutes to decide whether he wants to coach Fiji's rugby sevens team, with the aim of taking them to the nation's first-ever Olympic medal. He has never been to Fiji. There has been no discussion of contracts or salary. But he knows that no one plays rugby like the men from these isolated Pacific islands, just as no one plays football like the kids from the Brazilian favelas, or no one runs as fast as the boys and girls from Jamaica's boondocks. He knows too that no other rugby nation has so little - no money and no resources, only basic equipment and a long, sad history of losing its most gifted players to richer, greedier nations.Ryan says yes. And with that simple word he sets in motion an extraordinary journey that will encompass witchdoctors and rugby-obsessed prime ministers, sun-smeared dawns and devastating cyclones, intense friendships and bitter rows, phone taps and wild nationwide parties. It will end in Rio with a performance that not only wins Olympic gold but reaches fresh heights for rugby union and makes Ben and his 12 players living legends back home.