Sport Books

Book SynopsisOlympic rowers Gary and Paul O’Donovan may be the face of Irish rowing and Skibbereen Rowing Club, and have enormously increased the popularity of rowing in Ireland, but they're just one piece of a much larger jigsaw. Without their club and the people behind the scenes, they wouldn’t be Olympic silver medalists, 2018 world champions, former European champions and, in Paul's case, a three-time world champion. Almost one hundred Skibbereen Rowing Club athletes have represented Ireland at various regattas over the years; a staggering figure when viewed in light of the size of the club. Founded in 1970, it is now the undisputed most successful rowing club in the country, producing five Olympic rowers since 2000 and four world champions between 2016 and 2018. It is the characters involved in the club, the coaches, members and the athletes themselves, who come together to make Skibbereen Rowing Club what it is. Something in the Water reveals what goes on behind the scenes to create an environment that allows locals to excel on the national and international stages. The story is told through the people and families involved, showing how relatable they are to people around the country.

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Book SynopsisMIKE HAWTHORN, BRITAIN'S FIRST WORLD MOTOR RACING CHAMPION, was internationally famous by the time of his death. The dashing young Englishman had just won an epic battle for the title against Stirling Moss in a classic last race duel; similar to that between James Hunt and Nicki Lauda in 1976, and Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in 2014. However, back in the 1950s, Formula 1 was a quasi-amateur sport, in which prizes were modest, the risk of death unimaginably high and where there was scant reporting of the drivers' off-track activities. Mike's penchant for fast driving was matched by an appetite for pretty girls, beer, aeroplanes and practical jokes - all of which got him into a great many scrapes. What usually got him out was his charm. In this re-telling of Mike's story, 'Too Fast A Life' endeavours to paint an unbiased picture of a troubled young man, focusing more on feelings than feeler-gauges, and uniquely questions whether his life could have ended differently.

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Book SynopsisFrom a rebellious teenager on the terraces to becoming Supporters Club Chairman, Club Director, Secretary and Head of Media Graham Brookland has seen it all supporting his local football club. The first Football League team to be liquidated mid season for 60 years was followed by him co-founding a new club five levels below the previous level. Five promotions to reach the Football League were achieved before near extinction again. Graham pens his unique experiences panning over 40 years confirming that there is always a story to tell about Aldershot Town Football Club.

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Book SynopsisResearch on Indigenous participation in sport offers many opportunities to better understand the political issues of equality, empowerment, self-determination and protection of culture and identity. This volume compares and conceptualises the sociological significance of Indigenous sports in different international contexts. The contributions, all written by Indigenous scholars and those working directly in Indigenous/Native Studies units, provide unique studies of contemporary experiences of Indigenous sports participation. The papers investigate current understandings of Indigeneity found to circulate throughout sports, sports organisations and Indigenous communities. by (1): situating attitudes to racial and cultural difference within the broader sociological processes of post colonial Indigenous worlds (2): interrogating perceptions of Indigenous identity with reference to contemporary theories of identity drawn from Indigenous Studies and (3): providing insight to increased Indigenous participation, empowerment and personal development through sport with reference to sociological theory.Trade Review"The contributors cover wide swaths of the globe, including Canada, Norway, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Zambia, and South Africa, and they address myriad issues, ranging from sport and development, participation of indigenous peoples in their traditional sports and in contemporary global sport to depictions of indigenous sport in literature. Several engage with politically contentious issues involving globalization, sport, and the often-vulnerable and overlooked native peoples who are the real subjects of these explorations...This book will be most welcome for specialists, who will find that some contributions fill existing gaps in scholarship, and that others provide starting points for future research." - Choice Magazine, May 2014 Table of ContentsList of Contributors. Introduction. Foreword. No ‘Museum Piece’: Aboriginal Games and Cultural Contestation in Subarctic Canada. Lassoing and Reindeer Racing Versus ‘Universal’ Sports: Various Routes to Sámi Identity Through Sports. ‘A Reservation Hero is a Hero Forever’: Basketball, Irony, and Humor in the Novels of James Welch, Sherman Alexie, and Stephen Graham Jones. Neoliberalism as Neocolonialism?: Considerations on the Marketisation of Waka Ama in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Towards Cultural Competence: How Incorporating M?ori Values Could Benefit New Zealand Sport. Resisting Critical Analyses: Gatekeeping Issues with Australian Indigenous ‘Subjects’. Sport for Development in Zambia: The New or not so New Colonisation?. The Legacy of Jack Johnson on Aboriginal Australia. Indigenous Reconciliation Games: Selling Australian Football as the New Game to the New South Africa. Youth Development Through Recreation: Eurocentric Influences and Aboriginal Self-Determination. Paradigm Lost: Indigenous Games and Neoliberalism in the South African Context. Hope and Strength(s) Through Physical Activity for Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples. Uncomfortable Icons: Uneasiness, Expectations, and American Indians in Sport. Native Games: Indigenous Peoples and Sports in the Post-Colonial World. Research in the Sociology of Sport. Native Games: Indigenous Peoples and Sports in the Post-Colonial World. Copyright page.

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Book SynopsisThe story of Sir Alex Ferguson is a true rags-to-riches fairytale. When he announced he was to step down as manager of the world's biggest football club after 27 years in charge, he signed off in style with an honours list that confirmed him as the most successful manager in British history. Born in Govan, Glasgow, he played for Queen's Park, Dunfermline and Rangers before retiring in 1974 to begin his managerial career. Before joining Manchester United, he led a Rangers side to the league title and the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup and, although he struggled initially at United, his bargain-signing of Eric Cantona secured their first league title in 26 years. An incredible run of success followed, shaped by the emergence of 'Fergie's Fledglings' - Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, and Nicky Butt. His finest moment was in 1999 when United romped to an unprecedented Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies. Ferguson was knighted in the same year. This in-depth biography charts Fergie's unstoppable rise and pays tribute to the greatest manager the world has ever seen.

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Book SynopsisHard-hitting Rory McIlroy was always destined to become a professional golfer, from the moment he recorded a 40-yard drive aged just two. His first hole-in-one came when he was nine, and he played in his first professional European tour event as a 16-year old in 2005. Despite high expectations, Rory keeps a cool head on his young shoulders and lets his golf do the talking. His maiden victory came in the nail-biting 2009 Dubai Desert Classic, and he has since gone on to win multiple titles around the world. After falling apart at the 2011 Masters, his breakthrough came in June 2011 when he won his first major, the US Open. An incredible 2012 followed, where he ended up ranked number one golfer in the world. But in 2013, despite high aspirations, Rory did not fare well in major tournaments until the end of the year, when he won the Australian Open by one stroke. This is the story of one of golf's greatest ever talents.

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Book Synopsis?This book, by the man who taught them, shows how the British Commandos fought in the Second World War in unarmed hand-to hand combat. It shows how they won their fights – even against enemies who were bigger, stronger, and armed. Brute strength is not required. This book shows you how to put a thug out of action with your bare hands, so fast he won’t know what’s hit him. “Get Tough” is filled with clear, graphic line drawings which, with the easy-to-follow directions, demonstrate the “Fairbairn System”. The author, Major W. E. Fairbairn, was a tough Police officer who spent 30 years with the Shanghai Municipal Police, where he learned ju-jitsu (Judo), Chinese boxing and other martial arts. He was senior instructor to British Special Forces during the war, and was the co-inventor of the legendary Sykes-Fairbairn Commando knife. While in China he became the first foreigner, living outside Japan, ever admitted to Kodokan Jiu-Jutsu University in Tokyo where he was awarded the black belt, second degree. Combining all the knowledge thus acquired he developed a system that stopped the Shanghai terrorists in their tracks, demoralised the Nazis, and probably proved a decisive factor in the success of Allied Special forces in World War Two. This is a “must” book for the armed forces, civilian defence groups, police, security guards, and indeed anyone whose life may be threatened.

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