As a child growing up in the 1960s, Pat McKinzie was a misfit because she would rather play ball than Barbies. However, when McKinzie was sixteen, the passage of Title IX ensured that she, along with every other woman in the nation, would be allowed on America’s playing fields.
The first female scholarship recipient in Illinois, McKinzie’s courageous journey through triumph and tragedy takes readers on a path from high school and college to professional women’s basketball and beyond. An inaugural draftee into the first women’s professional basketball league, she went on to become part of the premier wave of American ball players in Europe. However, when a life-threatening accident abroad shattered her playing career, McKinzie’s struggle to survive revealed her fighting spirit. A remarkable, inspiring, and life-changing story, McKinzie’s fascinating odyssey teaches us all that we can write our own destiny…even if we have to relearn how to hold a pen.
Home Sweet Hardwood: A Title IX Trailblazer Breaks Barriers Through Basketball is an amazing journey through the resiliency of the human spirit. Possessing remarkable grace in the face of adversity, McKinzie shows readers that it’s not about the challenges faced, but rather how we handle each hurdle in life. By emphasizing the importance of pursuing dreams, this touching story inspires readers of all ages not to give up on their aspirations.
An enlightening sports memoir, Home Sweet Hardwood tells the unique story of a women’s basketball pioneer who came of age at an exciting time for the sport. Amidst the backdrop of basketball, one woman’s story through chasing her dreams highlights the ever-changing environment of women in sports and in society. Yet written with an awe-inspiring resiliency and focus, Home Sweet Hardwood is more than just a book about sports. A truly unique and inspirational story, Home Sweet Hardwood is certain to stand out as a testament to the human spirit and the power of a determined woman.
The first female scholarship recipient in Illinois, McKinzie’s courageous journey through triumph and tragedy takes readers on a path from high school and college to professional women’s basketball and beyond. An inaugural draftee into the first women’s professional basketball league, she went on to become part of the premier wave of American ball players in Europe. However, when a life-threatening accident abroad shattered her playing career, McKinzie’s struggle to survive revealed her fighting spirit. A remarkable, inspiring, and life-changing story, McKinzie’s fascinating odyssey teaches us all that we can write our own destiny…even if we have to relearn how to hold a pen.
Home Sweet Hardwood: A Title IX Trailblazer Breaks Barriers Through Basketball is an amazing journey through the resiliency of the human spirit. Possessing remarkable grace in the face of adversity, McKinzie shows readers that it’s not about the challenges faced, but rather how we handle each hurdle in life. By emphasizing the importance of pursuing dreams, this touching story inspires readers of all ages not to give up on their aspirations.
An enlightening sports memoir, Home Sweet Hardwood tells the unique story of a women’s basketball pioneer who came of age at an exciting time for the sport. Amidst the backdrop of basketball, one woman’s story through chasing her dreams highlights the ever-changing environment of women in sports and in society. Yet written with an awe-inspiring resiliency and focus, Home Sweet Hardwood is more than just a book about sports. A truly unique and inspirational story, Home Sweet Hardwood is certain to stand out as a testament to the human spirit and the power of a determined woman.
