Central Kansas Library System

The sport of wrestling is quite possibly the oldest athletic pursuit of humankind. It has been depicted or described in one form or another for thousands of years and was especially celebrated by the ancient Greeks at the original Olympiads. In modern times, wrestling has been a part of every Olympic Games since they were revived in 1896. The sport developed two distinct styles: Greco-Roman and Freestyle, both of which are featured prominently on...

World's Fastest Human. That is the title bestowed on the man with the best time in the 100 meter dash. This event is the centerpiece of track and field, the collective name for events that are based on running, jumping and throwing. Who is the fastest? Who can jump the highest? Who can throw the farthest? These are the questions men have been challenging each other to answer for centuries. The World's Fastest Human was Jamaica's Usain Bolt in 2015,...

An ancient sport of an ancient people, lacrosse has been played in North America for centuries. Part of the ritual of their lives and cultures, lacrosse was a sport practiced more so than played by the native people of eastern Canada and the North Eastern United States. European settlers were fascinated by the game, and over the centuries, it evolved to the sport with modern rules and modern equipment that is played in high schools and colleges across...

The 1958 NFL Championship game is known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played", and the nationally televised overtime thriller had the country buzzing about NFL football for the first time, launching the sport into the stratosphere. College football had been the version of choice when it came to football but after 1958, however, stars like Jim Brown and Joe Namath took advantage of the sport's newfound exposure to make watching NFL football appointment...

A game with ancient origins, the modern sport of tennis flourished in late 19th century England. The success of the first tournament at Wimbledon's All England Croquet Club quickly led to the beginning of the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. Tennis is now one of the world's most popular sports. Tennis is played on six continents, and today, more than 40 countries are represented among the top 100 players on the men's and women's tours. The...

Whether it involves soaring through the sky or falling from it, Air Sports explores the ups and downs of the most adventurous activities for those not afraid of heights. From skydiving and hang gliding to hot air ballooning and gliding, Air Sports examines a wide range of gravity defying exploits and the people who enjoy them. Every book in the Adventurous Outdoor Sports series takes you inside your favorite outdoor activities, and shows you where...

If winter storm warnings fill you with excitement rather than dread, then Snow Sports will do the same as it looks at several of the ways people turn snowy weather into opportunities for cool adventures. From snowmobiling and skiing to snowboarding and snowshoeing, Snow Sports examines a wide range of snow-covered exploits and the people who enjoy them. Every book in the Adventurous Outdoor Sports series takes you inside your favorite outdoor activities,...

From climbing up a rock face to rappelling into a canyon, Mountain Sports explores the world of activities that defy danger from 20 feet high to 20,000. From bouldering and ice climbing to canyoneering and skyrunning, Mountain Sports introduces activities and people that view the sheerest cliffs and highest mountains as the best opportunities for adventure. Every book in the Adventurous Outdoor Sports series takes you inside your favorite outdoor...

More than 200 countries in the world have national soccer teams. History has shown, however, that when it comes to playing for soccer's ultimate prize, all countries are not created equal. Every four years, the world's teams come together to see which will lift the gold trophy as the world's best, and inevitably, the same teams rise to the top. Top Teams takes a close-up look at the teams that perform best when the Cup is on the line. There is Messi...

Ice hockey is one of the fastest games on the planet. Players move at high speeds in a flurry of sticks and skates, trying to control a small black disc while balancing on razor-thin steel blades. How do they do it? Simple. It's STEM. STEM in Ice Hockey breaks down the different elements of the game and explains how STEM applies to them all. Slap shots, tape-to-tape passes, edge work, body checks, trackable pucks, and graphite sticks-this book covers...