How to Be Like Women Athletes of Influence

by Williams, Pat

• ISBN13: 9780757306778
• ISBN10: 0757306772
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-10-15
• Publisher: Hci

Summary

With 30 never-before-heard interviews from some of the world's most contemporary top athletes and sports pioneers, "How to Be Like Women Athletes of Influence" celebrates the exciting growth of women's sports...and the fearless, multitalented women who are amking it happen.From the locker rooms to the board rooms to the training rooms, sports writer Dana Pettit O'Neil and Orlando Magic Senior Vice President Pat Williams have interviewed 30 of the top athletes in every major sport--plus their rivals, coaches, and contemporaries--to give insights, advice and inspiration for any budding athletes.The Line-Up: Serena and Venus Williams * Michelle Kwan * Annika Sorenstam * Steffi Graf * Dorothy Hamil * Mia Hamm * Jackie Jayner Kersee * Michelle Akers * Bonnie Blair * Nadia Comaneci * Gail Devers * Babe Didrikson * Chris Evert * Lisa Fernandez * Peggy Fleming * Athea Gibson * Billie Jean King * Julie Krone * Lisa Leslie * Nancy Lopez * Shannon Miller * Martina Navratilova * Dot Richardson * Mary Lou Retton * Wilma Rudolph * Joan Benoit Samuelson * Dawn Staley * Pat Summitt * Jenny ThompsonWhether it's the millions of girls involved in youth sports, the boon of women marathoners and triathletes, or the legions of women golfers who are taking the greens by storm, this book will get any woman off of the sidelines and into her game.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Introduction: Simple Idea, Amazing Journey	p. xiii
Michelle Akers: Fearlessness	p. 1
Bonnie Blair: Humility	p. 10
Nadia Comaneci: Perfection	p. 19
Gail Devers: Conquering	p. 28
Teresa Edwards: Trailblazing	p. 37
Janet Evans: Everyday Champion	p. 46
Chris Evert: Sensational	p. 56
Lisa Fernandez: Tenacity	p. 65
Peggy Fleming: Graciousness	p. 75
Althea Gibson: Pioneering	p. 86
Steffi Graf: Strength	p. 97
Dorothy Hamill: Gentleness	p. 107
Mia Hamm: Selflessness	p. 117
Jackie Joyner-Kersee: Kindness	p. 128
Billie Jean King: Vision	p. 138
Julie Krone: Courageousness	p. 149
Michelle Kwan: Flawlessness	p. 159
Lisa Leslie: Exquisiteness	p. 169
Nancy Lopez: Joyful	p. 179
Shannon Miller: Determination	p. 189
Martina Navratilova: Daring	p. 200
Mary Lou Retton: Power	p. 210
Dot Richardson: Spirit	p. 220
Wilma Rudolph: Faith	p. 230
Joan Benoit Samuelson: Pacesetter	p. 239
Annika Sorenstam: Focus	p. 248
Dawn Staley: Inspirational	p. 259
Pat Summitt: Intensity	p. 269
Jenny Thompson: Excellence	p. 279
Serena and Venus Williams: Double the Drive	p. 288
Babe Didrikson Zaharias: Originality	p. 301
Donna Lopiano: The Difference Between Being Good and Being Great	p. 311
Closing: Lessons Learned	p. 316
Acknowledgments	p. 318
For More Information	p. 319
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Excerpts from How to Be Like Women Athletes of Influence LIFE LESSONS FROM SERENA AND VENUS WILLIAMS EMBRACE CHALLENGES Their practice courts were manned by drug dealers. Their sport was dominated by white people with money. Their father knew nothing about tennis. What's amazing about the Williams sisters isn't that they came so far, it's that they ever got started. But along with their tennis talent, the young women were blessed with courage. They welcomed obstacles, knowing that overcoming them would only make them stronger. 'To overcome any hurdle you have to be and think positive,' Serena said. 'God will never give you more than you can handle, keep this in mind. It will help anyone get through plenty.' REMEMBER YOUR VALUES Bad behavior runs through society like a rampant disease. Athletes who could make a difference in the world by showing young people how to behave instead corner the market on boorish behavior. For all of the complaints people have misguidedly lodged at the Williams sisters, no one can ever argue that the young women have failed to live up to their charge. They are role models, young women who have avoided scandal and embarrassment, all while toting the burden of opening their sport to an entire race. 'Winning, losing, money, riches, or fame don't make you happy,' Venus said. 'For my tennis career, it's great, but as far as me being Venus, it doesn't really make a huge difference.' NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR WILL It is easy to get bogged down in the negative. If enough people say you can't do something it's hard to remember why you think you can. The little voice deep inside, though, is the one to trust. Fed well it can overcome even the harshest critics. Before she stunned the tennis world by winning the 2007 Australian Open, Serena Williams could have filled a phone book with the people saying she was out of shape, lacking the discipline and the dedication to win. But she believed in herself and ended up with her eighth Grand Slam trophy. 'More than anything, what I love, besides obviously winning, is proving people wrong,' she said afterward. IT'S OK TO ENJOY YOUR SUCCESS Humility certainly is an admirable trait, but hard work rewarded ought to be celebrated. The only way to reach for the next goal is to enjoy the first one. When Venus and Serena Williams one their first Grand Slam tournaments, they were rightfully elated, relishing their places in history and their moments in time. Once they tasted that feeling, it only made them hungrier for more. Asked how she felt after an early exit from her initial Wimbledon appearance, Venus replied, 'It's my first Wimbledon . There will be many more.' HAVE AN INTENSE DESIRE TO WIN Winning certainly isn't everything, but champions crave winning like children crave sweets. As Serena Williams once described it, winning creates an 'insatiable' appetite. Chastised for always dreaming so big, the Williams sisters knew they could achieve their goal beca

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Excerpted from How to Be Like Women Athletes of Influence: 32 Women at the Top of Their Game and How You Can Get There Too by Pat Williams
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.