BOOK REVIEW: In These Girls, Hope Is A Muscle

by Madeleine Blais 

This is the true story of an American high school girls' Basketball team.  It charts the tale of how the team recovers from a defeat in a regional final the previous season, and tells the story of the the following season, in which they become Massachusetts state champions.

If the story was not true, it would be unremarkable and a little fanciful.  Scoring 37 unanswered points to take a 51 - 6 half time lead in the final would be deemed unrealistic. It is not presented as a fairytale, however, but as a triumph of determination to overcome the bitter disappointment of the previous year.

The story has much greater significance than the bare facts.  It is an allegory for sport, and particularly for the possibilities of female athletes.  It illustrates what sport can do to elevate lives and to inspire girls to work hard, bond into a team, and achieve fulfilment through victory.  Despite the series of Basketball games that are won, culminating in the incredible final, the real triumph is in the commitment, the endeavour and the disciplined pursuit of a shared goal.  It is a remarkable story of the triumph of the human spirit, and this comfortably overcomes a inclination to be overtly feminist towards the end.

It is cleverly written.  As the book progresses, it looks more deeply into the character of the players and what motivates them to apply themselves selflessly to their sport.  It is significant that the girls come from widely different backgrounds and races, but are united by their determination to work hard and succeed.

Through the season, they test their passion for their sport and their loyalty to each other.  It is a combined journey of discovery into who they are, and what they want to become.  There is a constant theme of searching for respect, not just for their own efforts, but for female athletes generally.

The Epilogue adds realism by recounting what each of the girls has done since leaving high school; they were three years out of school at the time the book was written.  There is a clear correlation implied between the application and success on the Basketball court, and high achievement in later life.  It is an inspirational lesson in the qualities underlying high achievement