Becoming a True Champion: Achieving Athletic Excellence from the Inside Out

by Kirk Mango, Daveda Lamont (With)

Overview

Today, aspiring athletes have to work harder and be more dedicated than athletes of previous generations who did not have to contend with the messages of a popular culture that promotes winning at all costs and implicitly condones "shortcuts" to winning. Many of today's athletic superstars glorify and demonstrate cheating and illicit, destructive conduct. Whether off the field antics or on the field cheating through the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs typify an athlete's lack of personal values, the bad behavior displayed by many in a broad range of sports is hard to escape. The result is that too many such negative role models and influences are out there, diverting today's developing competitors down a seductive path to failure rather than upward to excellence and lasting, honest achievement. Becoming a True Champion: Achieving Athletic Excellence from the Inside Out fills a critical need by speaking in a frank and direct voice directly to today's aspiring athletes about these crucial, controversial issues and the personal choices they face. At the same time the book presents them with the antidote to these negative influences-the fundamental values, attitudes and concepts, both mental and practical, that support and lead to athletic excellence. A "true champion" is an athlete with the specific qualities of character, mental discipline, and physical skills necessary to generate and keep increasing athletic excellence and success throughout his or her career. These qualities can be learned and developed; they need not be inborn. Becoming a True Champion goes deeply into each quality to show developing athletes how adopting it directly affects and enhances athletic performance, longevity, and dignity. Through relevant examples, inspiring stories, and a personalized approach, the book shows athletes how to avoid the many pitfalls, and overcome the inevitable obstacles, so common in today's sports culture. For more information, check out the author's website here.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442214064
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/16/2012
Pages:	264
Sales rank:	392,454
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Kirk Mango was a collegiate Division I National Champion and gold medalist on the still rings in 1979, defeating several Olympians to earn this honor. The previous year Kirk had won the silver medal on this event in the 1978 Division I National Championships. He was selected as a collegiate All-American in both 1978 and 1979 and to the present day still holds the Northern Illinois University school record for the still rings event. Kirk is also a three-time Hall of Fame athlete and was selected in 2009 as Number 8 on the list of “Top 50 Huskies of All Time” by the NIU Northern Star. He has been a high school teacher for 32 years, coaching for 17 of them. He has coached girls’ gymnastics teams to three conference championships, four regional championships, one sectional championship and three Elite-Eight IHSA (Illinois High School Association) state championship competitions. Kirk has also been a member of the Illinois Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, which is dedicated to the promotion of the quality of life through fitness and wellness. Daveda Lamont is an author, ghostwriter and developmental editor with many books to her credit. This is her fourth book and third as co-author. In 2000-2001, Daveda served as a contract editor for Powered, Inc., editing and co-writing courses for the corporate online universities of clients such as Barnes & Noble, Dell, VISA, and Bloomberg.com. Her developmental editing experience includes fine art appreciation, film and music instruction, artist memoirs, creative nonfiction, nutrition, alternative healthcare, family financial planning, consumer investing and finance, investment risk and reward, online commerce, and various self-improvement subjects.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Nadia Comaneci Message to Aspiring Athletes by Phil Wunderlich Acknowledgments A Champion Introduction:  Sports on the Edge The Code of a True Champion Section 1: The Principles of a True Champion –Someone Only in Legends? Ch. 1- It Starts with You: Realizing Your Potential and Creating Success Ch. 2- Do You Know Where You’re Going?: Goals—The Choice is Yours Ch. 3- The Burning Within: Desire—The Fuel that Drives You to Move Beyond Nomal Limitations Ch. 4- Five Letters That Spell Success: The CDSPH Principle—What it Really Means Ch. 5- What You Do Speaks Volumes: Character and Integrity—The Road Less Traveled Ch. 6- An Unrewarding Path: Cheating—The Road to Nowhere Ch. 7- A Championship State of Mind: Core Attitudes and a Mindset for Achievement Ch. 8- Separate yet Related: Mindsets for Training and Competition Expectation from Practice Section 2:    Building the Dream – The Training Process Ch. 9- From the Ground Up: Fundamentals for Success Ch. 10- Pieces and Parts: Breaking it Down Ch. 11- A Method above the Rest: A Question of Quality or Quantity Ch. 12- An Essential Piece of the Puzzle: Vital Concepts of Conditioning Ch. 13- Simplifying the Training Process: The Circle of Achievement Ch. 14- A Blank Slate to Work With: Circle of Achievement Worksheets Individuality Section 3:    Putting it all Together – A True Story Ch. 15- Mission Impossible: The Goal Ch. 16- Take a Walk in My Shoes: Club Training and Gymnastics Camp Ch. 17- Putting It to the Test: Senior Year Ch. 18- The Outcome Says It All: Final Tests Ch. 19- When All Is Said and Done: Conclusion Who Am I? The Libero Code Your Greatest Gift to Yourself References and Notes About the Authors  

Editorial Reviews

"This is a very insightful book that is extremely beneficial for an athlete of any level. I found this book to really encompass the trials and dedication it takes to give yourself that best opportunity to be successful, not only in sports, but in life. It is definitely a must-have for any young athlete."

Rob Scahill

"Becoming a True Champion is not only [Kirk Mango’s] story of success in gymnastics, but it is a guide for all athletes in any sport to fully understand what it takes to become a premier athlete. Wonderfully written, this book is a step-by-step process to success in sports. Kirk is careful to explain the hard work, effort and dedication that it takes to become a “true champion.” I highly recommend that any athlete who wants to succeed in his sport must read Becoming a True Champion. Kirk, you have done it again!"

Lloyd Bachrach

A great advantage of the book is that the authors consistently relate their thoughts and ideas into good practical examples, making it easy for the reader to keep up with the reasoning presented... This book is recommended mainly for young people who want to be inspired and gain a greater understanding of what it takes to be really good at their sport and who want to get hands-on practical tips for how to go approach to optimize the chances of reaching as their full potential and hopefully become a " true champion ".

Idrottsforum.org

After working with great teenage athletes over two decades, I have found a must-read book, Becoming a True Champion by Kirk M. Mango. This book accurately describes a path that teenagers and their parents can follow to achieve greatness in the teen’s personal and athletic life.

Ken Braid

"Becoming a True Champion is more than an expert lecture on the keys to sports success, it is a hands-on manual which gives readers practical exercises to help them become the best they can be. Mango has ‘nailed it’ with this book."

Bart Conner

Kirk Mango knows what it takes to be a champion. Now he has written a book to advise others.

Champion! Magazine

I read it, I loved it, I live it. As a professional athlete in the NFL, I've made many sacrifices in my personal and athletic life. Becoming a True Champion is an inspiration even to me now. It's a great reference for the passionate athlete willing to make sacrifices to achieve true greatness.

Steve Weatherford

As young men and women set their sights on a championship, they ask themselves what it will take to become a champion. Kirk Mango provides a clear answer to that question and at the same time takes the concept of ‘champion’ and extends its meaning into life beyond the athletic arena.. .. Kirk Mango's book should be in school libraries everywhere. His actual experiences as a championship athlete and first-hand knowledge of today's teens as a coach make his advice especially relevant.

Mindy Null

"Kirk Mango's thoughts, ideas, and concepts are good examples of what’s positive in youth athletics. From their important emphasis on character and responsibility as a young athlete, to their razor sharp focus on what it takes to be successful and how to get there, all are right on. Parents and coaches, as well as the kids themselves, will really benefit from his message."

Robert A. Weil

"Becoming a True Champion is an excellent book that relays the perfect message for any athlete. It is a great book for the elite athlete in that it conveys that you can never work too hard and that any goal you want to reach is attainable. This book will inspire even average athletes who have a true passion for their sport but haven’t quite achieved the success they want. It encourages them to ignore their critics and doubters as well as to work harder than they ever have. They will see that they are in control of their own success."

Phil Wunderlich

Mango focuses on empowering individuals to believe in themselves enough to set a course of action and develop the CDSPH –Commitment, Discipline, Sacrifice, Priorities, Heart – to complete the task….With an emphasis on character and integrity, Mango’s book is both relevant and timeless. And its message is not only for athletes.

International Gymnast

Kirk Mango knows what it takes to be a champion. Now he has written a book to advise others.

Champion Magazine