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Finding books your teens and tweens will read can be challenging, especially if they’re looking for something in the nonfiction genre to fulfill reading lists for school.
If your child is an athlete or sports aficionado, an inspiring sports story or memoir will not only keep them engaged in reading, but also leave them empowered both on and off the field, track, or court.
Whether your teen or tween is looking for mindset exercises, goal setting, resilience-building, motivation, or entertainment, we’ve got an inspiring list of coach- and teacher-approved sports books everyone with the heart of an athlete can relate to.
Ten of Our Favorite Books for Teen Athletes

Game Changers
An empowering playbook for teens who want to rise above setbacks, crush their goals, and become the kind of leaders the world needs. This book spotlights athletes like Tom Brady, Abby Wambach, Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan who literally changed their sport.

Inspirational Sports Stories for Young Readers
This book will engage every young sports fan as they learn about how their favorite current stars as well as some of the most influential athletes of the past faced challenges in life, overcame obstacles, and used them them to become stronger.

101 Things Every Young Athlete Should Know
This guide for athletes of any age covers it all! Master goal setting, mental toughness, perseverance, teamwork, discipline, nutrition, injury prevention, and more.

Mental Toughness for Young Athletes
This is a great guide for young athletes who struggle with in-game stress and maybe even sports performance anxiety. Includes valuable input from a 15-year-old elite athlete who talks directly about the triumphs and struggles of working toward being mentally tough.

The Most Inspiring Olympics Stories and Amazing Facts
Does your teen want to absorb grit, resilience, and the power of dreams of the greatest Olympic champions while enjoying a fun, motivational read? This is the perfect compilation of inspiring true stories and amazing facts.

Positive Affirmations for Female Teen Athletes
This is a powerful tool designed to help women athletes break free from mental constraints & pressures and achieve greatness both on and off the field.

Shoot Your Shot: A Sport-Inspired Guide To Living Your Best Life
Some of the most high profile names in basketball share what steps they took to elevate themselves to superstardom, what principles they followed in order to become the best of the best, and most importantly, how you can apply the lessons from their stories to attain success in every area of your life.

Soul Surfer
Bethany Hamilton is a surfer who survived a shark attack that cost her her arm. In her autobiography, she writes about getting back on the board and competing in the sport she loves.

She the Confident: The Mindset Advantage for Female Athletes
An empowering and indispensable book that gives female athletes the tools to develop the most essential super power of all — Confidence.

The Ultimate Sports Trivia Book
Packed with jaw-dropping facts, mind-bending stats, hilarious moments from the biggest games, and underdog stories, this book is every sports fans dream come true.
Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you’re not alone. Here are some posts other parents have found helpful:
Game Over: How To Help Your Teen Say Goodbye To High School Sports
We Need to Bring Back Rec Sports–Why This Mom’s TikTok Went Viral
Competitive Youth Sports Means Crazy Schedules But Great Life Lessons
It’s Hard to Imagine What Your Life Will Look Like After Youth Sports Ends






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