Home Team Advantage: The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports (HarperCollins 2006)

Over the past decade, the stakes in youth sports have reached startling heights; the pressure to win often eclipses the desire to have fun. Sports injuries have increased tenfold; aggression on and off the field-between kids, parents, and coaches-is at a fever pitch; and drug and alcohol use among young athletes is on the rise. While there are plenty of books that help the best-intentioned parent, most of them are written by men, for men. They do not address concerns specific to mothers, nor empower them to confidently step onto the out-of-control playground to assume whatever role they choose-spectator, advocate, administrator, coach, fund-raiser, or team mom.

"Home Team Advantage" is an essential resource manual that will inspire women to confidently tackle some of the issues preventing their kids from enjoying sports. Brooke de Lench authoritatively covers issues ranging from ensuring playing time and confronting out-of-control coaches to countering the "winning at all costs" mentality. Packed with real-life anecdotes and information from experts, "Home Team Advantage" provides constructive, practical, and forward-thinking advice to help mothers understand the critical role they can play in putting the words fun, game, and play back into youth sports.

Go Girl
By Hannah Storm (sourcebooks 2002)

Every parent wants to help their daughter build the skills she needs to be happy and successful. How do you make it happen? Get her into sports! In Go Girl!, NBC sportscaster Hannah Storm helps you take an active role in encouraging and supporting your daughter´s athletic interests, giving her the edge she needs to excel in life.

A Drive to Win: The Story of Nancy Lieberman-Cline (Anything You Can Do...New Sports Heroes for Girls, Volume 1)
Doreen Greenberg, Michael Greenberg (Wish Publishing, 2000)

Nancy Lieberman-Cline’s story of passion for sport and an intense drive to be the best is certainly an inspirational one. Nancy grew up in Queens and learned to play basketball on the streets and playgrounds of New York. Overcoming a difficult childhood, she found confidence and acceptance on the basketball court. Nancy broke through many barriers to completely change the game of women’s basketball.

The Anything You Can Do series is unprecedented in its concept of offering real stories of new heroes to young girls. No mere fan books that announce dates and achievements, the stories focus on the athletes when they were girls and address the obstacles and tribulations faced by all girls (peer pressure, body image, parental pressure). The books then go on to show how sport helped these girls grow and become the women they are today.

Sword of a Champion: The Story of Sharon Monplaisir, (Anything You Can Do...New Sports Heroes for Girls, Volume 2)
Doreen Greenberg, Michael Greenberg (Wish Publishing, 2000)

Sharon Monplaisir’s story is a compelling tale of a very poor, gawky girl who chooses an after school activity that leads her to the Olympics. Sharon grew up in the South Bronx and learned the sport of fencing in high school to avoid the terror of her neighborhood street life. The book describes her transformation from a young, lonely girl into a powerful champion through hard training and determination.

The Anything You Can Do series is unprecedented in its concept of offering real stories of new heroes to young girls. No mere fan books that announce dates and achievements, the stories focus on the athletes when they were girls and address the obstacles and tribulations faced by all girls (peer pressure, body image, parental pressure). The books then go on to show how sport helped these girls grow and become the women they are today.