Losers Take All by David Glass

Wow, wow wow is what I kept saying to myself after reading this novel. Mr Glass has put his finger on something that has been brewing in the American psyche for years.

Jack Logan's dad used to be called the Logan Express back in his day as a student at Fremont High. Fremont, also known as Muscles High is a place where jocks rule and have ruled for decades. Jack's two older brothers were also football stars at the school and his dad has always tried to encourage his sons. Jack, like most sons, desperately wants his father's approval.

When a drill sergeant principal is appointed principal things get weird for Jack and his athletically challenged friends as they are forced to join a sports team. They choose soccer and soon are the talk of the town. There are some at the school who don't take kindly to the lovable losers however and that is when things get really exciting.

I for one like football and cheer my beloved Denver Broncos (Super Bowl 50 champs!) on weekly but I would never allow my sons to play the game and many of the parents I know feel the same. Though soccer is portrayed in the book as a sport that is manly than football those who play it know that this is not necessarily true (Google Football's wildest tackles and fouls if you don't believe me).

 This book is a not so veiled commentary on American sports culture and I can see it being discussed in many schools across this country. People on both sides of the spectrum will of course have differing views but no one deny that sports, important as they are just games at the end of the day. Producing students with big character should be the focus of high school sports programs because as has been mentioned time and time again only a small portion of these athletes will go on to play in college and an aeven smaller amount will make the pros. Good food for thought. I recommend this novel for ages 13+.

Arcady's Goal by Eugene Yelchin

Soccer is unquestionably the world's game and its legions of fans experience the highs and lows of each game and discuss the team feverishly all week. Some of the biggest stars of today came from humble backgrounds but they have used their skill to create a better life for themselves and their families. The game is not immune to real life concerns however and sadly sometimes politics becomes entwined with sports as occurred recently. Wars have been fought over results in soccer games and people have been killed over the outcome of matches.

In Eugene Yelchin's book Arcady's Goal, the title character lives in a rough camp for orphans in the Soviet Union in 1945. His parents have been deemed enemies of the state and he has been sent to live in a camp, guarded by tough armed guards and under the rule of the despot Butterball who organizes soccer exhibitions for Arcady to show off his skill. It is in one of these exhibitions that Arcady is spotted by an inspector called Ivan Ivanych. To his surprise the inspector returns to the camp with papers to adopt the young boy.

Historical fiction novels can sometimes have gross inaccuracies but I think the fact that the author's father was a Soviet who loved and played soccer gives him some credence. His description of Arcady's fist impressions of Ivanych's house and food is heartbreaking. Arcady convinces his new father of his love for the game and Ivanych agrees to find a team for him if Arcady will agree to learn to read. The first time Arcady plays with boys his age his skill is breathtaking but due to political differences he doesn't play on that team.

Ivanych himself has secrets as Arcady begins to discover. All is not lost however as they learn of a tryout to be held by the Red Army team, on which Arcady's hero, Fedor Bruko plays. A special pass is needed just to go to the tryout however and one thing becomes certain, the tryout is of tremendous importance for both of them. Ivanych has his own reasons for adopting the young kid. Arcady's goal has been transformed from an on field one to an off field one as well.

In the afterword of the book Yelchin gives a personal account of the after effects of the Communist Stalinist regime and the way in which it destroyed generations of families systematically. Relations between the United States and Russia are somewhat frayed now but it is fascinating to learn about this nation's sad past and to see how even today citizens are struggling with the legacy of decisions taken well before they were born. I recommend this book for those aged 11+.

Striker by David Skuy

This is a timely book for two reasons:
1. The biggest sporting event in the world- the World Cup has recently completed
2. The fault in our stars has shone the spotlight on young people suffering from cancer.
    It is difficult enough to work and live normally after cancer far less maintain an athletic career but that is exactly what the plucky protagonist of this novel aspires to do.




  The book begins with thirteen year old Cody trying to work up the courage to ask his mom if he can try out for a new soccer team. We learn that he is recovering from having chemo for a cancerous tumor in his right leg-his kicking leg. After some back and forth between him and his parents (and between his parents) he gets to play. Needless to say, he joins a team with the worst possible mix of kids and glory hunting parents. Some of the mean kids tease him mercilessly about his shiny head- the chemo treatments have made him lose his hair.

     While some of the characters are very one dimensional and serve as plot devices for Cody to have some measure of sporting revenge later on in the book I felt that at the very least they should have had their comeuppance and learned some humility. Life does not always work like that so in this regard I can understand why the author chose to focus on Cody's resilience.  The book also focuses mainly on the games Cody plays for various teams. The author goes very much into detail so lovers of the game will enjoy that. Those who are not too familiar with the sport will still be able to get the gist of the action. Brazil is the spiritual home of the game of soccer and Skuy manages to finagle a connection between Cody and an extremely talented player from that nation.

   We learn that Cody's mom was a very talented player in college and she herself suffered injuries so in that regard she is able to help Cody with what he is experiencing. At times though she is almost the stereotypical hovering mother and this is a source of friction between herself and Cody. Cody's father is almost ridiculously uninterested in soccer and sometimes sits in the car and reads-this I found difficult to believe.

    Striker shows that in sport and in life one has to work hard to achieve one's goals and when there are bumps on life's road, you must try to overcome them. I recommend this book for ages 11-14.