Discovering Balance

Discovering Balance
A Chip Fullerton/Annie Smith Sports Novel
T. L.Hoch
Tate Publishing
Mustang, Oklahoma
ISBN: 978-1-62854-925-6
Trade Paperback
2014
 $ 19.99
295 Pages

How often is a person's life out of balance?   Think of many of the professional athletes and the numerous personal problems that draw the attention of the media, would they have these issues if their life was more balanced? How often have you prioritize your work over your family?
B.A. Smith realizes that going to a new high school can be difficult.   She has successfully made new friends and been accepted as part of the girls' basketball team even earning respect as a valued player.  More importantly to her is the development of being a team with everyone working together.  Of course, there will always be a few difficult people who feel threatened by another athlete, but overall, the move has been a success.  
Now that the basketball season is over, will B.A. continue with her athletic stardom into softball?  Her rival, Tammi still feels that since B.A. arrived, her athletic gifts have been overlooked.  Will she ever have the respect that she deserves?
Chip Fullerton is the spunk and spirit of both the basketball and softball team.   She also realizes that life needs to be balanced.   With her high school responsibilities of academics and sports, she strongly realizes that you also need time for family, a boyfriend, friends, working out, working at her family's business, and to volunteer in some way to help others.   How do you keep all of this in balance all the time?
With the immense challenges of today's life, successful role models who effectively solve their multitude of problems are needed both in real life and in fictional books. Also needed, are positive examples that are not contrived, but realistic ways of balancing our busy lives without watching much television or spending hours on the internet.
Books that have real life situations along while balancing the complicated intricacies of life without violence, bullying, and people taking advantage of others are seldom found in literature.. Discovering Balance excels with creating role models who value keeping their lives in balance and doing the right thing for their friends, families, others, and for themselves.
Tom Hoch writes from his years of experience as a retired teacher and coach.  In this unique series he perfectly intermixes the skills needed for sports along with the skills for a successful winning team and maintaining all the relationships and responsibility of a successful life.  
Discovering Balance is unusual in that this book can be read as a standalone, but succeeds in teasing the reader to want to read the previous book Chasing Normal.   Without revealing the story from  the first novel, there are some questions in this book that are only answered in the first book.
Discovering Balance is a well-written insightful novel that both teens and adults of all ages value within an enjoyable story.  The characters seem to be real people with real problems.   With an organized, logical story building on real life situations Discovering Balance leaves you reflecting about your choices and priorities.
Are you living a balanced life? Discovering Balance is a wonderful tale for everyone.