So fall is one of my favorite seasons for one reason: football. I don't talk about sports a lot on here, but I am a true sports fanatic. I've attended Olympic-qualifying soccer games and even an actual Olympic match in '96 with my family. I recently went to the Gold Cup semifinal soccer matches here in Dallas. I obsessively watch my college's (Middle Tennessee State University) football team (GO BLUE RAIDERS!!!), and my favorite NFL teams (Broncos & Giants!) scores and stats and upcoming games. I checked up on the NHL lockout last year on a daily basis until it was resolved because I was in a serious Nashville Predators withdrawal. I ignore EVERYTHING during the Olympics because that's the only time I get to watch a lot of gymnastics, diving, and skiing. Basically, I am a crazy person, and a goodly amount of that crazy chooses to manifest during the fall.
Why do I like sports? Well, if you're not into sports, that's an understandable question, but it's hard to answer. If you DO follow a sport, you understand. There's just this feeling that goes with sports, with athletic competition. It's like an electric current that buzzes through your whole body, whether you're a player or a spectator. Plus, sports = bonding. So naturally, I love young adult books that feature sports and athletes. There's a common trope where the main character is quiet and introverted and a total klutz. Well, I love authors who are bold enough to make physically strong characters because it's less common.
Check out the list after the jump. What's YOUR favorite sports novel?
Bittersweet - Sarah Ockler (hockey, ice skating)
The Boys Next Door - Jennifer Echols (wakeboarding)
Camp Boyfriend - J.K. Rock (football, baseball, volleyball)
Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks #1) - Miranda Kenneally (football)
Dangerous Games - Carolyn Keene (just about everything)
Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) - Katie McGarry
Endless Summer - Jennifer Echols (wakeboarding)
The Ex Games - Jennifer Echols (skiing, snowboarding)
Fifteen Love (Pretty Tough #6) - Nicole Leigh Shepherd (tennis)
Forget You - Jennifer Echols (swimming)
Game. Set. Match (Outer Banks Tennis Academy #1) - Jennifer Iacopelli (tennis)
Harry Potters series - J.K. Rowling (QUIDDITCH IS A REAL SPORT YOU MUGGLE)
Head Games (Pretty Tough #3) - Keri Mikulski (basketball)
Laguna Cove - Alyson Noel (surfing)
Letters to Nowhere (Letters to Nowhere #1) - Julie Cross (gymnastics)
Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports - Alden R. Carter (football)
Love Story - Jennifer Echols (horse riding)
Making Waves (Pretty Tough #5) - Keri Mikulski (swimming)
Motocross Me - Cheyanne Young (motocross)
Oh. My. Gods. series - Tera Lynn Childs (track/running)
The One That I Want - Jennifer Echols (football)
Playing with the Boys (Pretty Tough #2) - Liz Tigelaar (football)
Pretty Tough (Pretty Tough #1) - Liz Tigelaar (soccer)
Queen of Secrets - Jenny Meyerhoff (football, cheerleading)
Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks #4) - Miranda Kenneally (horse riding)
Riptide - Lindsey Scheibe (surfing)
Second Impact - David & Perri Klass (football)
Shut Out - Kody Keplinger (football, soccer)
Shutout - Brendan Halpin (soccer)
Smart Girls Get What They Want - Sarah Strohmeyer (skiing)
Stealing Bases (Pretty Tough #4) - Keri Mikulski (baseball)
Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks #2) - Miranda Kenneally (baseball/softball)
Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1) - Simone Elkeles (football)
Winger - Andrew Smith (rugby)
I used novels that I personally had knowledge of, but there are also a couple of Goodreads lists that provided some good suggestions. I did not feel comfortable adding all those novels as I hadn't researched them all myself. Plagiarism is still bad, even when it's just a review blog.
YA Sport Novels
Sports Themed YA/NA
PS Quidditch really IS a real sport now, played at universities all around the US! Read more about it here.
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