If you’ve ever played trained as an athlete or played team sports, you know that it takes serious effort to make it to the top. And even if you’ve never played, if you’ve ever watched any shows with sports storylines (Friday Night Lights, All American, Haikyuu!!, to name a few), you definitely feel for the characters as they put everything on the line and fight for the future of their dreams.
These books tell stories about teens playing sports, as well as the challenges they face off the field, court, or mat. These sometimes uplifting and sometimes difficult stories depict the very true experience of teens defying the odds stacked against them, whether they’re battling addiction, trying to escape a messy home life, dealing with homophobic teammates, or trying to push their way out of poverty.
30 YA Books Featuring Sports
GET’CHA HEAD IN THE GAME
1. Medicine Wheels by Byron Graves
The American Indian Youth Literature and Morris Award-winning author of Rez Ball returns with the unforgettable story of a gifted young Ojibwe athlete learning to ride in his father’s footsteps while practicing for a skateboarding championship.
When Bryce’s mom walks out on her abusive boyfriend and back into jail for breaking her probation, he’s left facing the summer of his junior year with no parents, no phone, and only the clothes on his back.
With nowhere to call home, Bryce crashes at his grandparents’ house on Wolf Creek reservation. Wolf Creek is full of memories and old friends—including Robbie and Mikayla, who hang out at the local skate park.
Skateboarding reminds Bryce of his late dad: carefree, riding like he could fly. If Bryce could learn to ride like that, he’d take his crew to the top of the skateboarding championship at the end of the summer, and finally prove he’s not a loser, especially to the online-famous, captivating Mikayla. Summer is looking up, even as he’s falling on his face.
But when a fresh loss takes Bryce down, he’ll need to learn to lean on his Ojibwe community to get back on the board. Only then can he discover his father’s real legacy—and the true meaning of unconditional love.
2. The Long Run by James Acker
Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut.
Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being “Bash the Flash,” fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro.
Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back.
When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could’ve predicted finding a love that they’d risk everything for…
3. You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie
Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear.
Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance–and any hope of playing college soccer–will slip through Vale’s fingers. When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer. . . and maybe each other.
4. I Like Me Better by Robby Weber
This is not how soccer-star Zack Martin thought his summer would go. When the captain’s prank means trouble for the whole squad, Zack’s left with no choice but to take one for the team and cover for him.
Now he’s trading parties and beach days for community service at a seaside conservation center—fair enough. But thanks to his new reputation, the cute intern, Chip, won’t even give him a shot. Still, Zack finds himself falling for Chip between dolphin encounters and shark costume disasters, which means he suddenly has way more on the line than he ever expected.
Zack may be good at winning on the field, but can he keep up the lie without losing himself?
5. Rez Ball by Byron Graves
This compelling debut novel by new talent Byron Graves tells the relatable, high-stakes story of a young athlete determined to play like the hero his Ojibwe community needs him to be.
These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team—even though he can’t help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident.
When Jaxon’s former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him.
But stepping into his brother’s shoes as a star player means that Tre can’t mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with.
After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon’s dreams, their story isn’t over yet.
6. Chasing Pacquiao by Rod Pulido
Self preservation. That’s Bobby’s motto for surviving his notoriously violent high school unscathed. Being out and queer would put an unavoidable target on his back, especially in a Filipino community that frowns on homosexuality. It’s best to keep his head down, get good grades, and stay out of trouble.
But when Bobby is unwillingly outed in a terrible way, he no longer has the luxury of being invisible. A vicious encounter has him scrambling for a new way to survive–by fighting back. Bobby is inspired by champion Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao to take up boxing and challenge his tormentor. But when Pacquiao publicly declares his stance against queer people, Bobby’s faith–in his hero and in himself–is shaken to the core.
A powerful and unflinching debut that will both shatter and uplift hearts with every read.
7. And Other Mistakes by Erika Turner
Aaliyah’s home life has never been great, but she thought she’d survive her last years of high school with at least her friendships and cross-country stardom intact. That is, until junior year struck: she got outed by a church elder and everything came undone — including Aaliyah.
Now, senior year is about to start and she is determined to come back faster and wiser. No more letting other people define her. No more losing herself to their expectations.
Except… well, with new friends, old flames, nosy school counselors, and teammates who don’t trust her yet, the route already feels rough. And what’s with the new girl, Tessa, who gives Aaliyah butterflies every time she looks at her? Regardless, everything is fine. She’ll be fine. Because this is the year to prove to everyone–and most of all, herself–that she’s more than her mistakes. After all, even Aaliyah can’t outrun everything.
8. Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler
Amber McCloud’s dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it’s an extra-tall order to be joyful and spirited when the quarterback of your team has been killed in a car accident. For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose.
The players refuse to be led by a girl, the cheerleaders are mad about the changes to their traditions, and the fact that Robbie’s been not only replaced but outshined by a QB who wears a sports bra has more than a few Atherton Alligators in a rage. Amber tries for some semblance of unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she’s only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down.
Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other, and if Amber can’t stand up for Jack and figure out how to get everyone to fall in line, her dream may come at the cost of her heart.
9. Game on: 15 Stories of Wins, Losses, and Everything in Between, edited by Laura Silverman
From the slightly fantastical to the utterly real, light and sweet romance to tales tinged with horror and thrills, Game On is an anthology that spans genre and style. But beneath each story is a loving ode to competition and games perfect for anyone who has ever played a sport or a board game, picked up a video game controller, or rolled a twenty-sided die.
A manhunt game is interrupted by a town disappearing beneath the players’ eyes. A puzzle-filled scavenger hunt emboldens one college freshman to be brave with the boy she’s crushing on. A series of summer nights full of card games leads a boy to fall for a boy who he knows is taken. And a spin the bottle game could end a life-long friendship.
Fifteen stories, and fifteen unforgettable experiences that may inspire readers to start up that Settlers of Catan game again.
10. Icebreaker by A. L. Graziadei
Seventeen-year-old Mickey James III is a college freshman, a brother to five sisters, and a hockey legacy. With a father and a grandfather who have gone down in NHL history, Mickey is almost guaranteed the league’s top draft spot.
The only person standing in his way is Jaysen Caulfield, a contender for the #1 spot and Mickey’s infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) teammate. When rivalry turns to something more, Mickey will have to decide what he really wants, and what he’s willing to risk for it.
11. Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life. At home, she is a dutiful daughter, carefully living within her mother’s narrow expectations, which include her dreams of Camila going to med school. Meanwhile, her short-tempered father trains with her rising-soccer-star brother, while ignoring Camila’s desire to play soccer.
But on the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila can see just how far her talent can take her: like her dream to land an athletic scholarship to a North American university. But without her parents’ permission, her dreams may die.
Further complicating the situation, the boy she used to love, Diego, is back in town. Since leaving, he’s become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. But Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him.
She needs to fight for her own future.
12. Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning
Liv Rodinsky had it all. A softball star on scholarship at a fancy private school with a perfect boyfriend, her future seemed certain. But then she throws one ill-advised punch during the most important game of the year and she loses it all: the team, the scholarship, her boyfriend. And then she’s forced into Northland, the closest public school, a new kid starting over both at school and on the softball team, where she hasn’t earned a spot yet.
But then Grey, the injured star quarterback with amazing hair, comes to her rescue with a plan: if Liv joins the football team as his temporary replacement, he’ll make sure she gets a spot on the softball team in the Spring.
Could it really be the answer? Things aren’t exactly what they seem with Grey, but maybe Liv will get even more than she bargained for: including a swoony romance. New beginnings aren’t always bad.
13. Running With Lions by Julian Winters
Bloomington High School Lions’ star goalie, Sebastian Hughes, should be excited about his senior year: His teammates are amazing, he’s got a coach who doesn’t ask him or anyone else to keep their sexuality a secret, and he’s a shoo-in for captain. But then his estranged childhood best friend Emir Shah shows up to summer training camp, and suddenly, Sebastian has some competition.
Stressed about the prospect of his team’s success ending up in the hands of someone who hates him and determined to reconnect for the sake of the Lions, Sebastian sets out to get back in Emir’s good graces. But to Sebastian’s surprise, all the time spent together in sweaty days on the pitch, wandering the town, and chilling on the weekends sparks more than just friendship between the two.
14. The Contender by Robert Lipsyte
Alfred Brooks doesn’t like the future he sees for himself.
He’s a high school dropout with a dead end job, his best friend is struggling with addiction and he worries he can’t help. Alfred wants a better shot for himself and his future, so he starts training at Donatelli’s Gym, a boxing club in Harlem known for growing champions of the sport. But being a good boxer doesn’t come as easy as expected.
Alfred learns that it’s effort that matters most, and to be champion, you have to be a contender.
15. The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of bullying, fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris, a soccer star Messi-in-training, gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.
At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy’s soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. And he’s passing, which means no one knows he’s trans.
But when a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s coach to bench him after he discovers the ‘F’ on Spencer’s birth certificate, Spencer has to choose between sitting on the sidelines or fighting for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone— including the guy he’s falling for.
16. After The Shot Drops by Randy Ribay
This dual POV story tells a story of race, privilege and class issues.
When Nasir’s best friend Bunny accepts an athletic scholarship across town, Nasir feels betrayed, and even worse–confused at why Bunny’s blossoming basketball career seems to garner more community support than the issue of his cousin Wallace’s impending conviction. Nasir struggles to figure out how to help while Bunny tries to fit in with his new, privileged peers.
While sports betting is what got Wallace in the hole, it’s also what he thinks will get him out. So he makes a bet against Bunny. And Nasir is faced with an impossible decision—maybe even a dangerous one.
17. She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
Scottie Zajac is not having a good time. First, her basketball team loses to her ex-girlfriend’s team in their first game post-breakup. Then, she gets in a fender bender with her nemesis, the beautiful and mean cheerleader, Irene Abraham. Even worse, their parents force them to carpool together while Irene’s car is in the shop.
Irene and Scottie do not get along: especially when Irene feels like her valid sportsmanship as a cheerleader isn’t taken seriously by Scottie. But when an opportunity presents itself for Scottie to get back at her ex (and climb her school’s social ladder at the same time), she bribes Irene into playing along with a fake dating scheme, and they find themselves growing close.
18. Golden Arm by Carl Deuker
Lazarus “Laz” Weathers hasn’t had it easy. He’s shy, and his stutter makes him even more nervous to talk to new people. Growing up in a Seattle trailer park, surrounded by drugs and dead ends, he finds an escape in baseball. And he can really pitch.
That skill gets Laz an opportunity to pitch for the rich kids across town–and a chance to get drafted by the major leagues. But playing for the other team means leaving behind his family, including his younger brother Antonio, who as of late seems to be tempted by Jet City’s drug ring.
Laz is faced with the tough decision between being the star pitcher he’s always dreamed of becoming and being the team player his family needs.
19. A Season of Daring Greatly by Ellen Emerson White
Eighteen-year-old Jill Cafferty was her high school’s star pitcher, and now she’s made history as the first woman drafted by a major league baseball team. Just days after her high school graduation, she’ll join the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Class A Short Season team. Her future seems to be planned out–but this life changing opportunity isn’t what Jill expected.
There’s tons of pressure on her as a pitcher, her teammates are giving her trouble, and despite the strides she’s made, it seems some people are deadset on keeping baseball a boys-only sport. Even worse, she’s alone, away from her home and family for the first time.
Now Jill is dealing with the weight of being a national hero without asking for it, the inescapable media at every game, and the pain of losing her love for the sport and she starts to question if she’s made the right decision.
20. Heroine by Mindy McGinnis
Mickey doesn’t want to let anyone down. So when she suffers an injury in a car crash just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Physical therapy won’t get her back to where she needs soon enough, but the Oxy her doctor prescribed will. And the pills do more than just take away pain; they make her feel good.
Where Mickey once only felt comfortable behind the plate, she starts to find comfort elsewhere, with a new circle of friends—some fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill. But as the pressure to succeed heightens, her need increases. Suddenly, it’s not just about the pain anymore–it’s about a want that’s so strong, she’s losing control.
21. Here to Stay by Sara Farizan
Bijan Mahdi is just a shy kid who’s used to flying under the radar. Content with reading his comics and playing basketball when he gets the chance, it’s a shock when he gets pulled off the bench to play in a varsity playoff game, and an even bigger shock when he makes the winning basket.
Suddenly, everyone knows who Bijan Mahdi is. And while his newfound popularity leads to high fives in the hallways and invites to exclusive parties, it also leads to an anonymous cyberbully trying to make Bijan look like a terrorist.
The administration wants to find and punish the cyberbully, but Bijan wants to pretend it never happened. No, he’s not ashamed of his Middle Eastern heritage; he just doesn’t want to be a poster child for Islamophobia.
Lots of classmates rally around Bijan. Others make it clear they don’t want him or anybody who looks like him at their school. But it’s not always easy to tell your enemies from your friends.
22. Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman
When Charlie Spring, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker meets the cheerful and soft-hearted Nick Nelson on the rugby team at their British all-boys grammar school, they become fast friends. But being friends with the kid who was outed last year quickly spawns rumors from fellow rugby players about Nick and Charlie’s friendship.
Nick always stands up for Charlie, and Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. But could their friendship actually be blooming into something more?
23. A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong
One summer day, Ren meets Luna at a beachside basketball court and a friendship is born. But when Luna moves back to Oahu to care for her sick mother, her friendship with Ren dissolves.
Years go by before Luna returns, hoping to rekindle their friendship but Ren is still hurt and is hesitant to let her back in so easily. She’s also dealing with a lot, including trouble at home, falling behind in school, and the newly formed women’s basketball team at their high school, which Luna just joined, alongside Ren’s new friends.
With Ren’s new friends and Luna all on the basketball team, the lines between their lives on and off the court begin to blur. Being a teen girl is messy, and they’re not sure who they can trust.
24. We Are The Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian
A toxic coach finds himself outplayed by the high school girls on his team in this deeply suspenseful novel, which unspools over twenty-four hours through six diverse perspectives.
The Wildcat varsity field hockey squad is set to play the first game of their new season. It’s their return after a rough year, predated by only great years and wins that their coach seems to think is a result of his doing. Everything hinges on the midnight initiation ceremony—a beloved tradition and the only facet of being a Wildcat that the girls control. Until now.
Coach switches up the plan and sends his team on a new adventure, a dangerous one where they take a rival team’s mascot for a joyride, crash a party in their pajamas, and break into the high school for the perfect picture.
But rather than let Coach’s manipulation take hold, the girls choose to spend their traditional team sleepover as an opportunity to forge the bonds of trust, loyalty, and friendship necessary to win. And just how far they’re willing to go for their team takes them all—especially Coach—by surprise.
25. Dangerous Play by Emma Kress
Zoe Alamandar and her co-captain Ava Cervantes are ready to win the State Field Hockey Championships, having assembled a strong team of fiercely dedicated girls ready to work hard. The prospect of getting a scholarship that will take her out of her Central New York hometown is a driving force of inspiration for Zoe.
But then Zoe is sexually assaulted at a party, and her goals change: now she just want to make sure no girl feels unsafe again, and to decry toxic rape culture. With their new mission in mind, Zoe and the rest of the team aren’t playing by the rules anymore. Suddenly, their town is full of determined citizens taking matters of punishment into their own hands, but one night of vigilantism may cost Zoe everything.
26. Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan
When Morgan, an elite track athlete, is forced out of her homophobic high school late in her senior year, she’s determined to keep fighting for her right to be out and proud. At her new school, she doesn’t hide her identity, and her battles with her old school are made public, which results in mixed opinions. It’s also where she meets Ruby, a closeted girl who loves working on her baby blue 1970 Ford Torino but spends too much time competing in local beauty pageants, only to live out the dreams of her overbearing mother.
The two are drawn to each other and can’t deny their growing feelings. But Morgan’s visibility proves to be a roadblock for Ruby, who isn’t ready to come out yet. Both girls are too headstrong to step down from a challenge, even when the challenge is their own budding relationship. Can they go the distance?
27. Game Change by Joseph Monninger
Seventeen-year-old Zeb Holloway isn’t used to being the main attraction. He’s happy to stay on the sidelines, working in his uncle’s auto repair shop and cruising through school without much effort.
As the backup quarterback on his high school’s undefeated football team, Zeb never plays. But when the star player is injured a week before the state championships, it’s up to Zeb to fill his shoes. As Zeb assumes the role of QB and team leader, suddenly, all eyes are on him. And when a college recruiter says Zeb could have a future beyond his small New Hampshire town, he realizes there’s a bigger life out there for him.
28. Hooper by Geoff Herbach
Basketball has been everything for Adam Reed. From growing up an orphan in Poland to finding a loving home in Minnesota, he’s always had basketball to ground him and grant him peace away from the painful memories, especially when he’s in a new country and there are communication barriers.
Adam gets selected to play on an AAU team along with some of the best players in the state, and it proves that basketball is really his passport: to new friendships, to the girl of his dreams, to a better future.
But things are spiraling off the court. Adam is dealing with a bully, his best friend is dealing with racism and his adoptive mom, Renata, is feeling left out of his life. An escalated incident with the police threatens to break apart the bonds Adam’s finally formed after a lifetime of struggle. How can he choose between his new family and the sport that’s granted him everything?
29. Pop by Gordon Korman
Marcus is all alone. After his parents’ divorce, he’s forced to move to a new town in the middle of the summer, while school is out, so he’s not meeting anyone new. To pass the time, he practices his football. On the field, he meets Charlie, the best football player he’s ever seen. He’s surprised to learn that Charlie is a former NFL linebacker, affectionately known as “Pop.”
He’s even more surprised when he learns that Charlie is also the father of the quarterback at Marcus’s new school, who has a problem with Marcus and has been leading the rest of the team to ice him out. And Charlie seems to still believe he’s the troublemaking teen he was back in the seventies, leading pranks that get Marcus in trouble.
Marcus isn’t sure why Charlie acts the way he does and he doesn’t know how to find his place on his new football team, either. He just wants to know he’s doing the right thing.
30. Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab
Susannah Ramos was born to swim. Lucky enough to grow up with a supportive family, she’s pursued her love of swimming to the point of becoming a world champion, but between her body changing and her toxic coach’s methods, it feels like she’s lost her way. Susannah is fighting to keep her career afloat when two important people enter her life: a new coach with a revolutionary training strategy, and a charming fellow swimmer named Harry Matthews.
As Susannah begins her long and painful climb back to the top, her friendship with Harry blossoms into passionate and supportive love. But Harry is facing challenges of his own, and even as their bond draws them closer together, other forces work to tear them apart. As she struggles to balance her needs with those of the people who matter most to her, Susannah will learn the cost—and the beauty—of trying to achieve something extraordinary.