Stephen Guinan

WE ARE THE TROOPERS, by Stephen Guinan, is about the female football team Toledo Troopers, who won seven championships in the 1970's and portrayed the changing view of women in sports. While their are plenty stories of heroism, sacrifice, loyalty, and athletic success, those women on the Toledo teams (and all of the teams they played against) of the 1970's really just wanted to play football, not to change the perspective of women in sports. By just playing, though, they were a critical part of the explosion of women in sports.
Guinan first introduces the reader to Bill Stout, the owner/coach of the Troopers for the first seven years. A former football player himself, Guinan describes him as a man looking for a purpose and finds one in woman's football. It seems clear early on that the team never would have happened without Bill Stout. Guinan introduces the players over the first few years and tries to endear the reader to as many of them as possible. The sheer volume of players is too big to follow them all and I found myself only able to keep straight of a handful at a time. As the season progress, certain key games are highlighted and others are just mentioned and a lot of the league administration is covered as well. Guinan artfully blends player stories, game highlights, and league events which keeps the reader's attention throughout. There is a list of Troopers players and coaches at the end of the book and I wish I could have found it sooner in order to keep everyone straight.
A fascinating tale of a super successful football team, a struggling league, female sports equality, and a reminder that there is a place for everyone to be athletic and competitive with one another. WE ARE THE TROOPERS is a fun read and a must for sports book fanatics.
Thank you to Hachette Books, Stephen Guinan, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (plus d'informations)