OUT OF OUR LEAGUE

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.