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African Footballers in Europe: Migration, Community, and Give Back Behaviours (Critical Research in Football)
by Ernest Yeboah Acheampong Malek Bouhaouala Michel RaspaudAfrican Footballers in Europe traces the social and economic evolution of African football and examines the strategies and resources that players mobilise in their migrations, with a particular focus on ‘Give Back Behaviours’ (how players contribute to their countries or communities of origin). It shines new light on contemporary migrations, labour markets in sport, and processes of development in Africa. Using a multidisciplinary approach and Weberian methodology to analyse players’ 'Give Back' behaviour, the book highlights the complex rationale behind this behaviour, based on a combination of social, cultural, and economic elements. It features interviews with former and current African professional players, providing a vivid picture of the role of communities in players’ migration projects, the allure of the European football market, and investment initiatives that can contribute to local and regional development. This is a vital read for academics, researchers, and students of sport sciences, sociology of sport, sport management, sociology, geography, political sciences, management, sociology of Africa, migration studies, sociology of the labour market, and economic sociology. It is also an important resource for professional organisations, NGOs, football agents, football administrators, federations, confederations, and governments.
Fighting Words (Bareknuckle)
by A. S. AchesonMyles McReary is trying to save up enough money to bring his family over from Ireland. And he's doing it the only way he knows: through bareknuckle boxing. Myles is one of the toughest young fighters at the Bowery's Woodrat Club. Even so, when the Woodrat arranges a match between Myles and Giancarlo Sperio, the best boxer in Harlem, Myles worries he's met his match. Myles knows he can't back down. If he does, he'll fail his family. So he turns to Father O'Carroll, a mysterious neighborhood priest. But Father O'Carroll's solution gives Will a whole new set of problems…
Let the World See You: How to Be Real in a World Full of Fakes
by Sam AchoNFL linebacker, speaker, podcaster, and humanitarian Sam Acho gives a blueprint for taking off our masks and living lives of genuine authenticity.Most of us hide. We play small and don't live up to our full potential. Sam Acho was one of those people. As an NFL linebacker, for example, he earned his MBA but told no one because he was afraid of what people might think if they found out that he cared about things that weren't "normal" for his profession. After many years of hiding himself, the person he had become had no connection to the real Sam. Only when he lost a friend and a mentor did he realize he was doing it all wrong--just like many us do, when we try to become someone we're not. All the while, we ignore the unique gifts and talents and personality we truly possess.But there is another way of living: Let the world see you. Your quirks, your passions, and your inner desires were not given to you by accident. And the world needs your gifts.In Let the World See You, Sam Acho shares lessons from his own life as well as stories from others to reveal how you can overcome your fears and discover your true selves. Being the real you pays big. No one else has what you have. No one else can share what you share. Let the World See You helps crack the shell of people who are in hiding and reveals the benefits of a lifestyle lived on purpose.
Fifty-Nine in '84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, & the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had
by Edward Achorn"First-class narrative history that can stand with everything Steven Ambrose wrote. . . . Achorn's description of the utter insanity that was barehanded baseball is vivid and alive." —Boston Globe“A beautifully written, meticulously researched story about a bygone baseball era that even die-hard fans will find foreign, and about a pitcher who might have been the greatest of all time.” — Joseph J. Ellis, Pulitzer prize-winning historianIn 1884 Providence Grays pitcher Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn won an astounding fifty-nine games—more than anyone in major-league history ever had before, or has since. He then went on to win all three games of baseball's first World Series.Fifty-nine in '84 tells the dramatic story not only of that amazing feat of grit but also of big-league baseball two decades after the Civil War—a brutal, bloody sport played barehanded, the profession of uneducated, hard-drinking men who thought little of cheating outrageously or maiming an opponent to win.Wonderfully entertaining, Fifty-nine in '84 is an indelible portrait of a legendary player and a fascinating, little-known era of the national pastime.
The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game
by Edward AchornChris von der Ahe knew next to nothing about base1/4ball when he risked his lifeOCOs savings to found the franchise that would become the St. Louis Cardinals. Yet the German-born beer garden proprietor would become one of the most important?and funniest?figures in the gameOCOs history. Von der Ahe picked up the team for one reason?to sell more beer. Then he helped gather a group of ragtag professional clubs together to create a maverick new league that would fight the haughty National League, reinventing big-league baseball to attract Americans of all classes. Sneered at as ?The Beer and Whiskey CircuitOCO because it was backed by brewers, distillers, and saloon owners, their American Association brought Americans back to enjoying baseball by offering Sunday games, beer at the ballpark, and a dirt-cheap ticket price of 25 cents. The womanizing, egocentric, wildly generous Von der Ahe and his fellow owners filled their teamsOCO rosters with drunks and renegades, and drew huge crowds of rowdy spectators who screamed at umpires and cheered like mad as the Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns fought to the bitter end for the 1883 pennant. In "The Summer of Beer and Whiskey," Edward Achorn re-creates this wondrous and hilarious world of cunning, competition, and boozing, set amidst a rapidly transforming America. It is a classic American story of people with big dreams, no shortage of chutzpah, and love for a brilliant game that they refused to let die.
The Long Run
by James Acker"A boldly authentic new voice in queer fiction." —Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor book Like a Love Story and The Chandler LegaciesTwo track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut. Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being "Bash the Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro. Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back. When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could&’ve predicted finding a love that they&’d risk everything for…
Kyudo The Japanese Art of Archery
by William AckerKyudo: The Japanese Art of Archery offers a concise description of kyudo by an ardent American enthusiast, describing the aims, techniques, anti the philosophical basis of its ceremonial aspect, which is strongly influenced by Zen.
Kyudo The Japanese Art of Archery
by William AckerKyudo: The Japanese Art of Archery offers a concise description of kyudo by an ardent American enthusiast, describing the aims, techniques, anti the philosophical basis of its ceremonial aspect, which is strongly influenced by Zen.
Hike!
by Susan Yoder AckermanZoey and her brother help their family raise sled dogs. She is responsible for teaching and training a pup named Jip, until he is ready to go on his first run!
Best Practice Protocols for Physique Assessment in Sport
by Timothy R. Ackland Deborah A. Kerr Patria A. HumeThis book outlines best practice protocols for body composition analysis of high-performance athletes and provides guidance on the use of new technologies for anthropometry. While surface anthropometry has traditionally been used to assess body composition through the internationally recognised methodology of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK), the recent commercialisation of devices, such as bioelectrical impedance technologies, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), ultrasound, 3D photometry and air-displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod), has led to the non-standardised adoption of new measurement techniques. In this textbook, leading researchers detail standardisation procedures for each technology: in terms of athlete preparation, test protocols, test reporting, equipment calibration and data interpretation. Each chapter covers a different tool: how it works, what it is used to measure, and what the issues are surrounding its validity, practicality and reliability. This book provides an essential reference for device technicians and sport practitioners, ensuring that high-performance athletes are afforded accurate and comparable body composition information to guide their training routines.
Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone the First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League
by Martha AckmannDocumenting multiple challenges at every turn--as a target for racism from society at large and sexism both inside and outside of the Negro League--this is the unique story of the first woman to play professional baseball on a men's team, breaking barriers in sports while believing, "There's got to be a first in everything. Maybe it will be me." Highlighting aggressive and resourceful behaviors, the text explains that as players began to leave the Negro League for major league teams, Toni Stone seized her only opportunity to play professional ball and replaced Henry Aaron on the Indianapolis Clowns, the Negro League's top team. Chronicling her career, this biography follows her experiences playing first with the Indianapolis Clowns, and later with the Kansas City Monarchs. It also details her encounters with the era's top athletes--Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Buck O'Neil, and Satchel Paige to name a few. As the exploration reveals her remarkable talent, perseverance, and accomplishments, it shows how she posed as a double threat--black and female--to the dominance of white males in sports and society.
Eternal Spring: Taijiquan, Qi Gong, and the Cultivation of Health, Happiness and Longevity
by Michael ActonThe traditional arts of Taijiquan and Qi Gong are sophisticated expressions of Chinese martial. health and spiritual culture. Rooted in China's ancient past they are still practised by many people in China today to achieve good health, mental well-being and a long and active life; commonly called `Eternal Spring'. This book, written for a Western audience, explains the essential theories and strategies of Taijiquan and Qi Gong in an insightful and accessible way. It expounds their value in our daily lives as a most effective means of combating the stresses, strains and illnesses that are now so much a part of our modern lifestyle and positions these two disciplines as the most comprehensive strategies for health, happiness and rejuvenation currently available. Michael W. Acton guides the reader through core concepts with an insight and wisdom borne out of many years of practice, study and teaching. This book will be of use to anyone who is already on this path or who is interested in self-development, health and well-being or the fascinating philosophy and ideas that underpin these traditional Chinese disciplines.
Feels Like the First Time (Destiny Bay #2)
by Marina AdairWhat's wrong with a little white lie?There are a lot of things Ali Marshal doesn't do: pink anything, a day without chocolate, and Hawk, her sister's ex-husband. Sure, he's a sexy former NHL star who can make her pulse pound with just a wink. But he belonged to Bridget first. And no matter how long she's had a crush on him, how great he's always been to her dad, or that her sister is engaged to someone else now and Ali needs a date to their engagement party, she can't give in to temptation. Can she?It's been years since his disastrous marriage crashed and burned, and Bradley Hawk has finally moved on. So when Bridget blows back into town with her new fiancé, throwing the engagement party of the year, he could care less . . . until Ali tells one little lie that lands him smack dab in a fake relationship. After one promise to be Ali's date and two of the hottest kisses he's ever had, Hawk can't deny how much he wants her. But what happens when this fauxmance starts to feel very, very real?
The Physics of Baseball
by Robert K. AdairScads of interesting facts about baseball as well as the physical laws of the game.
The Physics of Baseball: Third Edition, Revised, Updated, and Expanded
by Robert K. AdairBlending scientific fact and sports trivia, Robert Adair examines what a baseball or player in motion does-and why. How fast can a batted ball go? What effect do stitch patterns have on wind resistance? How far does a curve ball break? Who reaches first base faster after a bunt, a right- or left-handed batter? The answers are often surprising—and always illuminating.This newly revised third edition considers recent developments in the science of sport such as the neurophysiology of batting, bat vibration, and the character of the "sweet spot." Faster pitchers, longer hitters, and enclosed stadiums also get a good, hard scientific look to determine their effects on the game.Filled with anecdotes about famous players and incidents, The Physics of Baseball provides fans with fascinating insights into America's favorite pastime.
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup: Politics, Representation, and Management (Women, Sport and Physical Activity)
by Adam Beissel, Verity Postlethwaite, Andrew Grainger, and Julie E. BriceThis book offers a critical examination of the 2023 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup, being held in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing on perspectives from sociology, history, political science, and management, it sheds new light on the development of women’s soccer and on women’s sport more broadly. This book examines the politics of the build-up to the tournament, including the bidding process, as well as how the tournament has been represented in the media, the governance structures of the tournament itself, and policy proposals designed to leave an enduring legacy for women and girls in sport. The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is the first Women’s World Cup to be held in the Southern Hemisphere and the first to be held with an expanded 32-team format. This book shows why the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup represents a unique opportunity to enhance our understanding of women’s football, gender-oriented sport development initiatives and strategies, national sport policy and programming, and the management of international sporting events. This book is fascinating reading for any student, researcher, or practitioner with an interest in sport development, sport management, sport policy, sport sociology, event management, gender studies, political science, or the relationship between sport and wider society.
Birth Advantages and Relative Age Effects in Sport: Exploring Organizational Structures and Creating Appropriate Settings (Routledge Research in Sports Coaching)
by Adam L. Kelly; Jean Côté; Mark Jeffreys; Jennifer TurnnidgeRelative age effects (RAEs) refer to the participation, selection, and attainment inequalities in the immediate, short-term, and long-term in sports. Indeed, dozens of studies have identified RAEs across male and female sporting contexts. Despite its widespread prevalence, there is a paucity in the empirical research and practical application of strategies specifically designed to moderate RAEs. Thus, the purpose of this book is to situate RAEs in the context of youth sport structures, lay foundational knowledge concerning the mechanisms that underpin RAEs, and offer alternative group banding strategies aimed at moderating RAEs. In order to enhance our knowledge on birth advantages and RAEs to create more appropriate settings, key stakeholders, such as coaches, practitioners, administrators, policy makers, and researchers, are required to understand the possible influence of and interaction between birthplace, engagement in activities, ethnicity, genetic profile, parents, socioeconomic status, and relative age. Thus, in addition to RAEs and alternative group banding strategies, Birth Advantages and Relative Age Effects in Sport also examines the role of additional birth advantages and socio-environmental factors that young athletes may experience in organized youth sport. Drawing from both empirical research and practical examples, this book comprises three parts: (a) organizational structures, (b) group banding strategies, and (c) socio-environmental factors. Overall, this book broadens our understanding of the methodological, contextual, and practical considerations within organizational structures in sport to create more appropriate settings, and strive to make positive, impactful change to lived youth sport experiences. This book will be of vital reading to academics, researchers, and key stakeholders of sports coaching, athlete development, and youth sport, as well as other related disciplines.
Evaluation in Sport and Leisure (Advances in Leisure Studies)
by Andrew AdamsThis book presents a critical assessment of evaluation theory and practice in sport and leisure. It considers established and emerging forms of evaluation; examines typologies, issues, contexts and processes, and asks how evaluation practice can be improved in the future. The book seeks to uncover some of the tensions and dilemmas that are present in choosing and applying evaluation strategies. It considers the relationship between evaluation, context and evaluator to discern how and why a particular strategy is employed. It also highlights how power relationships affect and effect the evaluation process itself as well as those involved in conducting evaluations. The book encourages the reader to challenge accepted methodologies in evaluation, whilst acknowledging the central importance of evaluation and evidence for our understanding of the social impact and value of sport and leisure. This book is important reading for any student, researcher, practitioner or policy maker with an interest in sport, leisure and society, sport and leisure management, policy or development, leisure studies, or the wider relationship between sport, leisure, wellbeing and society.
Who Owns Sport? (Routledge Focus on Sport, Culture and Society)
by Andrew Adams Leigh RobinsonThis fascinating collection of essays explores the complex economic, political, cultural and social claims over sport, from multi-disciplinary perspectives including philosophy, history, political science and management. The book seeks to uncover some of the tensions and dilemmas wrapped up within aspects of owning sport and attempts to make sense of the place, role, meaning and function of sport when set against the broad notion of ownership. It considers the relationships between individuals, organisations and institutions, and investigates the power of grassroots participants from the bottom up. In presenting contemporary analyses from many viewpoints, not simply the commercial, it asks the reader to think of sport differently. Important reading for scholars and students with an interest in sport and society, sport management, policy or development, as well as those studying political science, economics, philosophy and development studies, this is also a useful resource for practitioners, managers and those working strategically with sport.
Complete Guide to 3-Gun Competition
by Chad AdamsHot guns and hotter action, that's what you get and more inThe Complete Guide to 3-Gun Competition, by the master of the craft himself, 3-Gun Nation's own Chad Adams. This explosive, high-octane sport is setting the world of shooting sports on fire. Now, withThe Complete Guide to 3-Gun Competition, novices and experts alike have an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the match design kings, the wildly wonderful guns and gear, and the hot-shot accuracy superstars that are thrilling crowds everywhere. Inside you'll find: The fascinating history behind the sport, from its not-so-humble beginnings with the controversial Soldier of Fortune organization to the bright lights and big money payouts of today's championship shoot in Las Vegas and the rockin' TV show that are introducing an entirely new crowd of X-tremers to the sport. Gun and gear highlights that cover the minimalists to the custom works and novel inventions bringing new meaning to the term "speed shooting. " Highlights from the first two years of the sport in front of the camera, the thrilling coverage that is 3-Gun Nation, rocking TV consoles everywhere on the NBC Sports Network. And more! Maybe you've dabbled in IPSC, IDPA, and the other sports that came before 3-Gun. Or maybe you've never even heard of "speed shooting" but wondered if there was more to you and your guns than punching holes in paper. Either way,The Complete Guide to 3-Gun Competitionwill have you hooked. Game on!
Twin Cities: My Life as a Black Cop and a Championship Coach
by Charles AdamsA Black Minneapolis cop and inner-city football coach faces racial reckoning after the murder of George Floyd inflames his city and forces him to explore the tensions in the neighborhood where he grew up. Charles Adams is a product of the Minneapolis&’s North Side, the city&’s poorest neighborhood, and of North High, the state&’s poorest school. After graduation he joined the Minneapolis Police Department, overcoming racial prejudice within its ranks to become his alma mater&’s resource officer. North High was in rapid decline, a building designed for 1,700 students down to about 200. Once the centerpiece of the community, the school was on the verge of folding. Then something magical happened. Adams stepped in as football coach, and transformed a winless team into state champions. With that success came renewed pride in the school and neighborhood both. As North High began to thrive, Adams was hailed as a model of what a Black man from a Black neighborhood might be. That lasted until Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, which brought a rain of chaos upon Minneapolis. Working to maintain order in a riotous city, Adams feared for his life, his relationship to his community forever changed. The memoir of a life divided, Twin Cities is the story of what happens when a man gives everything to his city in an effort to help kids envision a better future, only to have his city turn on him in response. Adams navigates the space between reality and perception, between law and justice, with the insight and wisdom he has gained from his unique experience.
Dangerous Race
by Dee J. AdamsFour years ago, race car driver Tracey Bradshaw almost died in a horrific crash. Now scarred inside and out, she's making a comeback, but her team is plagued by a series of "accidents".When the team leader dies under mysterious circumstances, former driver Mac Reynolds takes charge. The pair clash as Trace resents his high-handed attempts to control her, while Mac fears Trace's recklessness will get her killed. Neither can throttle back the desire that spins out of control whenever they touch. Trace lets herself be seduced when Mac convinces her he finds her beautiful despite her scars, and she begins to hope for more. But Mac knows he's not nearly good enough for Trace...
Baseball Baby (A Sports Baby Book)
by Diane AdamsThis original board book series, which begins with America's favorite pasttime--baseball--is sure to be a homerun with the youngest of readers and the sports-loving grown-ups in their lives.A toddler spends an afternoon at the park with his family where he is introduced to baseball for the first time. He makes a few mistakes as he warms up, takes the field, and goes to bat, but he keeps going until he scores the final run of the day and goes to bed a winner.
Bebe Béisbol (A Sports Baby Book)
by Diane AdamsThis original board book series, which begins with America's favorite pasttime--baseball--is sure to be a homerun with the youngest of readers and the sports-loving grown-ups in their lives.A toddler spends an afternoon at the park with his family where he is introduced to baseball for the first time. He makes a few mistakes as he warms up, takes the field, and goes to bat, but he keeps going until he scores the final run of the day and goes to bed a winner.
Football Baby (A Sports Baby Book)
by Diane AdamsThe youngest of readers and the sports-loving grown-ups in their lives can now enjoy America's most popular sport--football--before going to bed a winner.Autumn brings a slight chill in the air, leaves changing color, and of course, football season! This pair of siblings is putting on their gear, warming up, and trying to get a play going all before a quick apple cider break at halftime. A change in sides brings new momentum and the chance to score a touchdown before they lay their heads to rest.