What to Read While You Watch 2022 Winter Sports Competitions

2022 is shaping up to be a huge year in sports! From the ice to the field to the balance beam, read the deeply personal stories of world-renowned athletes who have put in the work to become the best and beat out the rest.

 

In 2018, Adam Rippon caught everyone’s attention with his cheerful attitude and unforgettable figure skating routines. In this funny yet heartfelt memoir, Rippon describes his journey from dirt-poor dreamer to “America’s sweetheart” and powerhouse athlete. For anyone who has ever wondered how it’s possible to put in the hard work necessary to become the best and look so good while doing it, this is the book for you!

Aly Reisman was part of one of the most celebrated U.S. gymnastics teams of all time: she and her team took home medals in both 2012 and 2016. In Fierce, Reisman tells her own story of resilience, self-doubt, and hard-earned victory. She describes having to seek out those who would stay loyal and support her on her journey, as well as what it was really like being teammates with some of the most accomplished female gymnasts ever.

As a world-renowned soccer player, Christie Pearce Rampone is personally acquainted with the pros and cons of being an athlete. In Be All In, cowritten by Rampone and neuropsychologist Dr. Kristine Keane, readers learn how their own children can benefit from participating in sports…and how to avoid the pitfalls, like becoming overly competitive or upset over losses. Whether your child has dreams of sports stardom or not, athletics has the potential to improve their lives, both now and in the long-term.

Babe Didrikson is easily among the most impressive athletes who ever lived. Starting in her teens, she excelled at every sport she tried, including golf, basketball, track and field, and baseball. These accomplishments are even more impressive for having occurred in the 1920s and 1930s, before competitive female athletes were considered acceptable. Didrikson inspired generations of girls to follow their athletic dreams—and now, thanks to Wonder Girl, she can inspire you, too.

In Budapest in the 1920s and 1930s, a new school of soccer emerged that became one of the most influential in the game’s history. But with the onset of World War II, they faced the rise of fascism and anti-Semitism. Yet their legacy endured, by the early 1950s, Hungary was an unstoppable force. They won medals, beat England in the Match of the Century and were home to one of the first international superstars, Ferenc Puskas. Against the backdrop of economic and political turmoil between the wars, and in spite of extraordinary odds, Hungary taught the world to play.

 

Eileen Gonzalez is a freelance writer from Connecticut. She has a Master’s degree in communications and years of experience writing about pop culture. She contributes to Book Riot and Foreword Reviews, and she occasionally tweets at @eileen2thestars.