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Living the Gold-Medal Life: Inspirations from Female Athletes
By Mary Lee Tracy with Ginny McCabe
Empowered Youth Producats Standard Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio
2003
ISBN: 0-7847-1331-6
 
The world of elite women athletes does not receive as much public attention as its male counterparts, its spiritual aspects, even less. Mary Lee Tracy is changing that with Living the Gold-Medal Life: Inspirations from Female Athletes. The wisdom garnered from Ms. Tracy's 20 year career working with top gymnastics and cheerleaders is laid out in a sturdy, open-flat, wire bound devotional complete with a handy white shoelace place marker.
 
The book is directed towards the people its author knows best; young females with aspirations to gold medals in world class individual competitive sports. Like any good devotional, the universal truths revealed here by people who have thought deeply about their particular arena can be carried over to other pursuits; particularly high stakes competitive ones such as investment banking, politics, modeling, military careers and media personalities.
 
The book explores 30 topics. Each begins with a cogent, generally one-page section titled "Expect Your Best." These are followed by a worksheet/journaling area entitled "Strengthen Your Spirit" where directed questions lead the reader toward internalizing the chapter's points. The section "Athletes in the Know" introduce a woman athletic champion who further explores the topic and broadens the perspectives offered by the book. "The Finish Line" wraps up each chapter with a brief quote from a spiritual source such as an inspirational quotation from a famous athlete, a popular song, and, occasionally, the Bible.
 
Is there a place in this book for those willing to "settle"? No, but everyone is given the hope of rising to the elite rank of whatever field of play they choose. Anyone looking for a devotional that will unlock the secrets of how to reach and successfully sustain their life at the top level of competition will find this book a real comfort. For the poor of spirit, those who morn, the hungry, the tired, the down trodden and other "losers," the Book of John would probably be a better choice.
 
Linda LaFianza 10/14/2003