Koncocoo

Best Ice Skating & Figure Skating

Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence
Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." In Mind Gym , noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Reviews
"Great book-easy to read and provides a lot of good insight into mental training and imagery."
"This is my go-to sports psychology book for encouragement."
"I have always tried to emphasize the importance of mental training to my athletes and clients."
"Great book."
"Actually, the book was recommended by one of my former athletes, a state champion."
"Excellent book to get an athlete to consider the mental aspect of sport."
"Best book ever for mental strength on any sport and just all around confidence in life."
"Athletes at all levels could benefit from the advice and the author knows how to tell a good story. Another story about staying calm while being fired was much more applicable and we didn't need this second story to illustrate the same point."
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My Sergei: A Love Story
The Olympic gold medalist offers a poignant, loving account of her life with her long-time partner and beloved husband, Sergei Grinkov, from their first introduction and successive world pairs skating championships, to their storybook romance and marriage, to the fatal heart attack that took Sergei's life. In the former Soviet Union, the sports establishment, charged with producing winners for the greater glory of the empire, had almost unlimited power over the athletically gifted. Throughout their training and into the start of their competitive careers, each thought of the other only as an athletic partner, partly because the four-year difference in their ages meant they had few friends in common. The story of their love and their happiness together is deeply moving, and the final chapters are heartrending, while the many photos heighten the tale. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov were one of the finest ice skating pairs in the world.
Reviews
"It's been 22 years since Sergei's tragic death, but your heart still aches for Katia and Daria."
"Something else that I enjoyed about the book was Katia's honesty her love for Sergei was evident throughout and her feelings about going back to skating after having their daughter."
"I watched Sergei and Katia perform in the Olympics, as well as professionally and was always touched deeply by the love they expressed to each other on the ice."
"Katia is one lucky woman to find two great men (current husband Ilia Kulic) to share her life & enjoy love a second time."
"A very deep and touching love story between the worlds greatest pair skaters...some 20 years later Daria is all grown up and i believe married."
"This is a story of a professional ice skater, her life, growing up, her skating partner, who was her husband, it's a love story told so beautifully, I couldn't put it down, I cried at the end, an excellent book."
"For this book not to be written by a well known author, it was pretty good."
"Beautiful account of true love - it makes you love this skating pair even more."
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My Sergei: A Love Story
The Olympic gold medalist offers a poignant, loving account of her life with her long-time partner and beloved husband, Sergei Grinkov, from their first introduction and successive world pairs skating championships, to their storybook romance and marriage, to the fatal heart attack that took Sergei's life. In the former Soviet Union, the sports establishment, charged with producing winners for the greater glory of the empire, had almost unlimited power over the athletically gifted. Throughout their training and into the start of their competitive careers, each thought of the other only as an athletic partner, partly because the four-year difference in their ages meant they had few friends in common. The story of their love and their happiness together is deeply moving, and the final chapters are heartrending, while the many photos heighten the tale. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov were one of the finest ice skating pairs in the world.
Reviews
"It's been 22 years since Sergei's tragic death, but your heart still aches for Katia and Daria."
"Something else that I enjoyed about the book was Katia's honesty her love for Sergei was evident throughout and her feelings about going back to skating after having their daughter."
"I watched Sergei and Katia perform in the Olympics, as well as professionally and was always touched deeply by the love they expressed to each other on the ice."
"Katia is one lucky woman to find two great men (current husband Ilia Kulic) to share her life & enjoy love a second time."
"A very deep and touching love story between the worlds greatest pair skaters...some 20 years later Daria is all grown up and i believe married."
"This is a story of a professional ice skater, her life, growing up, her skating partner, who was her husband, it's a love story told so beautifully, I couldn't put it down, I cried at the end, an excellent book."
"For this book not to be written by a well known author, it was pretty good."
"Beautiful account of true love - it makes you love this skating pair even more."
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Best Track & Field

Daniels' Running Formula-3rd Edition
Get in the best shape of your running career with the help of Daniels’ Running Formula, the book that Runner’s World magazine calls the best training book. Premier running coach Jack Daniels provides you with his legendary VDOT formula to guide you through training at exactly the right intensity to run stronger, longer, and faster. “In one way or another, today’s serious runners abide by training principles rooted in Jack Daniels’ research and philosophy and outlined in his famous book, Daniels’ Running Formula.” — Running Times. “In one way or another, today’s serious runners abide by training principles rooted in Jack Daniels’ research and philosophy and outlined in his famous book, Daniels’ Running Formula .”. Jack Daniels has been called the world’s best coach by Runner’s World magazine. Daniels has decades of experience as a track and cross country coach at institutions such as Oklahoma City University, the University of Texas, Brevard College, and the State University of New York at Cortland. Since 1997 Daniels has been the national running coach advisor for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program, which involves coaching thousands of marathon runners each year.
Reviews
"I have a doctorate and three master's degrees, and I still find my brain swimming when I try to make it through some of the scientific info. After three or four months, I found I wasn't improving my times much, so I decided to give Daniels another go-round and bought the new edition. That pace, of course, would have been faster had I done just a 6k, so there is evidence in my experience that shows that this program works if you give it a chance. If you don't have one, go get one, either by signing up for a local 5k or going to a high school track and pushing yourself for a mile. And it has to be a decent effort on your part, not just a leisurely jogging time, otherwise this program will be useless to you. If you've been running but not necessarily pushing yourself hard, then start on Phase 2, page 180. Personally, I would recommend reading chapter four in which Daniels talks about each of these paces and what you're trying to accomplish with them, but it's not absolutely necessary for the training. Just be careful when you do so that you're not moving up too early--injuries and burnout can easily happen. Personally, I have read the whole book, and I'm glad I have, but I would recommend doing so after you have your running plan worked out."
"Excellent scientific background."
"It may not be "the" book for "a" beginning runner, but it is probably safe to add providing you are a runner - or have a goal to be a runner and improve in time to come. If you are more seasoned runner, and enjoy reading about running, you will love this book."
"This is a great book for those who like to run and write an intelligent running program."
"I love ready running books and books on training."
";-). After Daniels' spent decades researching running and coaching world-class athletes, he has explained his approach and training plans in this excellent book. I've ran for years by following plans from military trainers and the runnersworld site, then got this book after deciding that wasn't enough."
"This book does a very good job helping setup a training plan for your planning race distance, and provides good information on several aspects of running as well."
"Dr. Jack Daniels takes the guesswork out of what paces you should train at for each specific workout type."
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Best Winter Sports

Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence
Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." In Mind Gym , noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Reviews
"Great book-easy to read and provides a lot of good insight into mental training and imagery."
"This is my go-to sports psychology book for encouragement."
"I have always tried to emphasize the importance of mental training to my athletes and clients."
"Great book."
"Actually, the book was recommended by one of my former athletes, a state champion."
"Excellent book to get an athlete to consider the mental aspect of sport."
"Best book ever for mental strength on any sport and just all around confidence in life."
"Athletes at all levels could benefit from the advice and the author knows how to tell a good story. Another story about staying calm while being fired was much more applicable and we didn't need this second story to illustrate the same point."
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Best Soccer

Soccer iQ: Things That Smart Players Do
Soccer iQ is soccer's first text book for players; an almanac of smarter soccer decisions intended to flatten out the learning curve. - Football.com Dan Blank has been coaching college soccer for over twenty years and served most recently as associate head coach at the University of Georgia.
Reviews
"Very good book and delivered on time."
"Book provided a lot of new insight for my Granddaughter."
"Worth it, the things are obvious after you read them."
"Good read that my son can enjoy."
"Very impressed with the wisdom in this book."
"I gave my second son this as a give, but this is a little hard for him to understand."
"I've read this as a soccer coach and also let my girls (9 and 11) ready portions."
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Best Football

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
Then two great forces alter Oher: the family's love and the evolution of professional football itself into a game in which the quarterback must be protected at any cost. In his sketch of the gridiron arms race, first came the modern, meticulously choreographed passing offense, then the ferocious defensive pass rusher whose bone-crunching quarterback sacks demolished the best-laid passing game, and finally the rise of the left tackle—the offensive lineman tasked with protecting the quarterback from the pass rusher—whose presence is felt only through the game-deciding absence of said sacks. An intermittently homeless Memphis ghetto kid taken in by a rich white family and a Christian high school, Oher's preternatural size and agility soon has every college coach in the country courting him obsequiously. However, while most reviewers are positive, something holds them back.
Reviews
"This was a pretty good book for someone who hates football."
"Love the book, you don't necessarily have to like football to like the book."
"What a great book. Michael Lewis not only knows how to put together a captivating story, he does so with subtle wit and plenty of insight. For a casual movie fan, the film is enough, but if you like both the movie and football I cannot recommend this book enough."
"If you're a fan of high school, college, or NFL football, this book is a great read. Or if you just want to read a book that will make you laugh, challenge you, and sometimes make you questions of the motives of the protagonists, this book is a great read."
"Very good book."
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Best Volleyball

Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence
Gary's lessons and David's writing provide examples of the importance of the mental game." Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--you will learn the same techniques and exercises Mack uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." In Mind Gym , noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so. Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Reviews
"Great book-easy to read and provides a lot of good insight into mental training and imagery."
"This is my go-to sports psychology book for encouragement."
"I have always tried to emphasize the importance of mental training to my athletes and clients."
"Great book."
"Actually, the book was recommended by one of my former athletes, a state champion."
"Reading Mind Gym helped me work through fears and insecurities that were holding me back from skiing at the best of my ability."
"Excellent book to get an athlete to consider the mental aspect of sport."
"Best book ever for mental strength on any sport and just all around confidence in life."
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Best Volleyball

Dream Like a Champion: Wins, Losses, and Leadership the Nebraska Volleyball Way
In Dream Like a Champion Cook shares the philosophy behind Nebraska’s culture of success and reveals how he’s had to learn, evolve, and be coached himself, even in his fifth decade as a coach. (Jon Johnston Corn Nation 2017-12-12). “Great coaches and teachers relentlessly strive for learning and improvement—in their people, in their teams, and in themselves. In Dream Like a Champion John reveals his relentless quest for better team chemistry, improving communication skills, proper goal setting, and attention to detail—which together result in peak performance.”—Tom Osborne, former Husker head football coach, University of Nebraska athletic director, and U.S. congressman. His growth mind-set and ability to constantly develop new leadership skills make him a special breed of coach.”—Jack Riggins, co-founder of Performance Mountain, retired U.S. Navy SEAL, and assistant football coach at Midland University.
Reviews
"Must read for all volleyball,or sport fans."
"A great biography of Coach John Cook!"
"great read for cornhusker fans!!"
"My two favorite quotes, which work in worlds beyond sports were; "if you remain open-minded, your ego will evaporate with experience" and from Top Gun; "never leave your wingman." The thing that made me the happiest was hearing Coach Cook talk about how he has learned over time to switch from coaching with anger to coaching with love. I've watched too many times him slamming his clipboard on the scorers table in frustration when he would call a time out."
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Best Winter Skiing

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain
Winter recreation in the backcountry has increased steadily over the years and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. "This new edition of Bruce Temper's seminal book, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrrain, maintains the easy-to-understand style of its first edition, making the information accessible even for snow-sport novices, yet also technically insightful for snow safety veterans."
Reviews
"A must read if you're traveling in the backcountry during winter."
"Well worth grabbing this book if you are learning about avalanche terrain for snowshoeing, mountaineering or backcountry skiing."
"If you are going to be playing in the backcountry do your friends, family, and yourself a favor and buy and read this book."
"While the book does give you some quick checklists, it also presses home the point that evaluating avalanche risks reliably requires years of experience (and even then can fail you), so you definitely can't accuse the author of leaving you with a false sense of security."
"Wow, everybody who rides should read this, the first chapter alone made me rethink some backcountry choices."
"I have had a copy for several years and have read it numerous times, read it before I took my Level 1, read it again before my Level II, and had it with me on my desk at the National Avalanche School."
"His tone is one of respectful caution, perhaps borne of his losing friends and colleagues to avalanches - a reality that he mentions repeatedly."
"While I'll never be 100% comfortable with him going I feel better knowing he's well informed about how to avoid avalanches and stay safe."
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Best Polar Regions Sports

Annapurna: The First Conquest of an 8,000-Meter Peak
One of Sports Illustrated ’s Top 100 Sports Books of All Time: A gripping firsthand account of one of the most daring climbing expeditions in history. “Those who have never seen the Himalayas, those who never care to risk an assault, will know when they finish this book that they have been a companion of greatness.” — TheNew York Times Book Review “The most influential mountaineering book of all time.” — National Geographic Adventure.
Reviews
"The book became long and wordy in places but these were no doubt hardy, tough and smart men, with courage to spare."
"This book was fascinating."
"This book is a good glimpse of all the stuff that can go wrong, and how a self-reportedly conservative risk-taker nearly got his entire team killed, and lost major chunks of his body in the process."
"I thought it was a good read full of insights about the mentality of adventurers and mountaineers."
"Also, the extensive use of Sherpas and others natives hired to carry equipment make one realize what a monumental task this was in 1950."
"It was not as "gripping" as "Into Thin Air", but had its own sense of adventure, along with all of the risks involved, especially at that early time in mountaineering in the Himalayas."
"This was an amazing story of unbelievable courage under very difficult conditions."
"A vibrant, visual and interesting story of the hardships while climbing Annapurna."
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