Marion Jones
Chapter One: A Star Is Born
No one can predict athletic stardom from day one. First, the genes have to be there, the natural talent that will blossom as a young boy or girl grows and begins to play sports. Then there has to be opportunity -- to be encouraged to play and learn the skills, to find the competition, to acquire a good, understanding coach, and finally to acquire a love of the sporting life. However, that still doesn't ensure that an athlete will continue to progress and star at each new level as he or she becomes older.
Once again there has to be a support group -- family, coaches, friends -- who continue to encourage a young athlete in the right way, not forcing or pushing too hard, but letting the pieces fall into place naturally. Yet that still doesn't guarantee reaching the top. All things being equal, the final push has to come from the athlete. He or she has to develop character, an inner drive to excel, and a will to win that refuses to yield, refuses to be defeated. Only when all these factors are in place will a world-class athlete emerge.
When Marion Jones was born on October 12, 1975, in Los Angeles, the odds of her ... read full excerpt from: Marion Jones: The Fastest Woman in the World ebook
