sports & recreation / sports psychology

"Athletic genius. All the sports journalists in the world can't explain it. Why was Michael Jordan so good? Was it just his joints and muscles? Did he just eat better breakfasts? Zach Schonbrun delivers a groundbreaking new perspective on the science of elite sporting performance. In the course of his work as a sports and business reporter at The New York Times, Zach Schonbrun came upon the research of two young entrepreneurial neuroscientists working on the neural profiles of athletes performing what is famously considered the hardest task in sport: hitting a baseball. They had developed their own brain measuring aparatus, which provided data suggesting a revolution in how we think about athletic ability. How well your brain controls your body--your motor control--is what matters most. Following this story led to the work of a band of researchers around the world, the "motor hunters," and the most important book on sports since Moneyball. Those first two researchers that Schonbrun met are now under contract to major league baseball teams.Why couldn't Michael Jordan, master athlete that he was, hit a baseball? Why can't modern robotics come close to replicating the dexterity of a five-year-old? Why do good quarterbacks always seem to know where their receivers are? Why are tennis stars math geniuses? And why do all animals have brains in the first place?In this wide-ranging and deeply researched book, Schonbrun investigates the keys to what actually drives human movement and its spectacular potential. New explorations in the brain help explain the extraordinary skills that set apart talented performers like Stephen Curry, Peyton Manning, Roger Federer, Bryce Harper, Jordan Spieth, racing superstar Lewis Hamilton, ballet prodigy Misty Copeland, and international soccer star Neymar; as well as musical virtuosos like world-class string players, keyboardists, and drummers; and even Paralympic gold medalist Rudy Garcia-Tolson.The understanding of the human body in motion--running, swinging, strumming, driving--remains one of the most fascinating scientific pursuits. Sports franchises are now beginning to recognize that it is the brain, not just the mechanics of the body, that powers most of the athletic gifts we strain to see in our cavernous arenas. Grasping those golden gifts, going from good to great, requires more than understanding the ten-thousand-hour rule. It requires a new way of thinking about expert performers. It's not about the million-dollar arm anymore. It's about the million-dollar brain"--.

"Walker starts with one of the most hotly debated questions in sports: What are the greatest teams ever--particularly those that sustained success over a long period of time. He devised a formula to compare the achievements of teams from leagues all over the world, and after painstakingly profiling thousands of them, produced a comprehensive, unbiased list of the 16 best... At that point, Walker became obsessed with another, more complicated question: What did these teams have in common? ... There was a very specific kind of leader at the center of these teams, a force that drove them to greatness, and they all shared eight specific characteristics."--Provided by publisher.

"In this behind-the-scenes look at the making of a champion, the coach of the Villanova University men's basketball team shares his competitive and cooperative philosophy, along with lessons from his coaching career and the story of his personal road to success."--Publisher.

"Even amongst the most elite performers, certain athletes stand out as a cut above the rest, able to outperform in clutch, game-deciding moments. These athletes prove that raw athletic ability doesn't necessarily translate to a superior on-field experience--it's the mental game that matters most.Sports participation--from the recreational to the collegiate Division I level--is at an all-time high. While the caliber of their game may differ, athletes at every level have one thing in common: they want to excel. In The Champion's Mind, sports psychologist Jim Afremow, PhD, LPC, now offers the same advice he uses with Olympians, Heisman Trophy winners, and professional athletes, including:[bullet] Tips and techniques based on high-performance psychology research, such as how to get in a "zone," thrive on a team, and stay humble[bullet] How to progress within a sport and sustain excellence long-term[bullet] Customizable pre-performance routines to hit full power when the gun goes off or the puck is droppedThe Champion's Mind distills actionable advice into clear and concise steps for athletes looking to find confidence, concentration, and mental preparedness--the mental edge that sets champions apart"--.

"With unparalleled access to Heisman Trophy-winning phenom Johnny Manziel, Bruce Feldman has written a modern-day tale about the making of the next superstars in football's most important position: the quarterback. In the world of modern football, with teams worth a billion dollars or more, no position defines a franchise like quarterback. To tell the story of all that goes on to create the perfect quarterback, bestselling author Bruce Feldman gained unique access to "Johnny Football" (that's Johnny Manziel), George Whitfield (a.k.a. "The Quarterback Whisperer"), and other unique players in what has become a specialized and high-stakes business. In the past decade the boom of the private quarterback-coach business, with its pageant-world-for-boys vibe, is changing the position and the game. The QB will tell the story of the interlocking paths of the most fascinating characters involved in this secretive world, examining how advanced analysis has taken root in football. Manziel is one of the most gifted and charismatic collegiate quarterbacks ever, with superior talent and entertaining antics. His guru is a man who has come to be known for making QBs--George Whitfield. And then there is Trent Dilfer, the least talented QB ever to win a Super Bowl, the Salieri to Manziel's Mozart, who wonders why he did not go farther. In The QB, the stories of these three men illustrate how high the stakes of the quarterback game really are, taking readers on a compelling journey into the heart of America's beloved game"--.