Out of Our League: 16 Stories of Girls in Sports

by Dahlia Adler (Editor), Jennifer Iacopelli (Editor)

Overview

A compelling YA anthology from editors Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacopelli about the trials and triumphs of girls in sports.

A January/February 2024 Kid's Indie Next Pick!

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2024

Ambition. Drive. Determination. Talent. Courage. Teamwork.

Every athlete knows what it takes to win. But for players who are teen girls, the stakes are so much higher. In this anthology, the voices of these athletes come alive, highlighting the ferocity of those who are often shunted to the side. From navigating rampant misogyny to forging a sisterhood through sweat or just reveling in the love of the game, the stories in Out of Our League address the phenomenal physical and emotional power of teenage athletes as they compete, persevere, and thrive, on and off the field.

Featuring stories from:

Jennifer Iacopelli • Sarah Henning • Miranda Kenneally • Amparo Ortiz • Maggie Hall • Yamile Saied Méndez • Naomi Kanakia • Leah Henderson • Sara Farizan • Aminah Mae Safi • Kayla Whaley • Carrie S. Allen • Juliana Goodman • Cam Montgomery • Dahlia Adler • Marieke Nijkamp

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250810731
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	01/20/2026
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.38(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

DAHLIA ADLER is an editor by day, a freelance writer by night, and an author and anthologist at every spare moment in between. She's the founder of LGBTQReads; her novels include the Kids' Indie Next picks Cool for the Summer, Home Field Advantage, and Going Bicoastal, a Sydney Taylor Honor book; and she is the editor of the anthologies His Hideous Heart, That Way Madness Lies, At Midnight, and, with Jennifer Iacopelli, Out of Our League. Dahlia lives in New York with her family and a wall of overflowing bookcases.

JENNIFER IACOPELLI was born in New York and has no plans to leave, ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on and now, as a high school librarian, she frolics all day with her students, books, and computers and writes at night while cheering on her beloved Yankees. Jennifer is the author of Game. Set. Match., Losing at Love, Break the Fall, and Finding Her Edge, as well as the co-editor, with Dahlia Adler, of Out of Our League.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Out of Our League:

A January/February 2024 Kid's Indie Next Pick!

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2024

"This book is a knockout. All of the stories have so much heart and beauty. The representation across these pages proves there are strong girls of every race, culture, ability, and background who will fight for greatness in sports and in life." —Sam Butler, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, AZ

"The characters display grit and determination as they learn a new sport or struggle with team dynamics. Impressively inclusive with plenty of appeal for sports lovers and couch potatoes alike." —Kirkus

"[The character's] victories, outside of pushing themselves and winning scores, are personal and political, and offer an inclusive sense of empowerment that inspires." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2023-10-21
Short stories featuring a diverse range of teen girls who are learning how to play and compete in different sports.

This compilation featuring many big-name contributors from YA literature not only centers young women’s voices but also showcases their strengths and different abilities, emphasizes the power of team camaraderie, and demonstrates the value of hard-won lessons. Powerlifting, sport climbing, crew, boxing, and ice hockey are all included, alongside more common sports such as softball, soccer, and basketball. Many of the stories include details of fast-paced plays, as in Maggie Hall’s “Sidelined,” in which star basketball player Lexie helps coach the football team to achieve an exciting, game-winning touchdown. The stories put sports front and center, weaving in relevant specifics. One standout, “All for One,” by Yamile Saied Méndez, carefully and heartachingly describes one cheerleader’s struggle with an eating disorder relapse. Kayla Whaley’s “No Love Lost,” written in the format of a screenplay, features wheelchair tennis star Lotte and includes meaningful dialogue about disability in sports. Among the other perspectives are those of Rowan, a teen who’s recently come out as nonbinary, in Marieke Nijkamp’s “Archery,” and Maya, a trans girl in Naomi Kanakia’s “Wrestling” who’s attending an all-boys Catholic school. Thankfully, the stories are not tidy, triumphant sprints across a finish line: The characters display grit and determination as they learn a new sport or struggle with team dynamics.

Impressively inclusive, with plenty of appeal for sports lovers and couch potatoes alike. (Anthology. 12-17)

Kirkus Reviews