I wish-- How I WISH -- this incredible supportive friendly book had been around when I was a little kid. But I'm so glad it IS around today -- it is empowering and friendly, helpful and almost like a shoulder to lean on. "Throw Like a Girl" is 203 pages of chapters divided into "BODY, MIND and HEART" and I can't think of a better training and inspirational book than this one when it comes to aligning your priorities, believing in yourself (no matter what gender or age you are!!), dealing fairly with others, never letting unfair criticism cloud your resolve, and NEVER giving up!!!I (whose nickname is ACE) LOVED baseball and played it since I was 5 yrs old; I wanted to join the NY Yankees when I grew up. But Mom (Dad was rarely around)-- never encouraged me-- refused to buy me baseball equipment until my Italian Grandmother Nonna Lucia bought me a glove-- that broke the ice and sis and I proudly ended up with one bat, one ball and one glove. We played with the neighborhood kids in a big park under our Bronx windows. A huge elm tree was home plate and I (center fielder and batter extraordinaire) would proudly slide into the dust in front of home plate and jump to my feet in a split second. What joy for a kid!!! Jennie-- if you had been around back then I think you would even have cheered me on!!But then... around came Little League tryouts and I, who was born pink (a color I hate, BTW) had to look on while my guy friends cut across our "baseball field" to get to the tryouts. Even today, I know I can still out hit and out perform them. THIS is a sadness and a huge let-down that I will never forget. So TODAY-- It is SO good to see what Jennie Finch not only accomplished but what she is doing to empower little girls all over the world today. This book NEEDS to become a faithful, dog-eared traveling companion.Jennie Finch would have been my role model back when I was a kid. The only woman involved in baseball back then was Gussie Moran and I admired her very much. I never knew about the women's' baseball leagues, the woman who struck out Babe Ruth, or the fierce women who played with the men in the Negro Leagues -- NOTHING -- because no one did anything to empower or enlighten me. So I forged my own way. This will NOT have to happen nowadays -- not with all the incredible female sports role models, including Jennie Finch.Now I grew up with Grit and Tough Attitude as my middle names -- so I never cried and I never gave up, learning to improvise if I had to. But I have seen so many female athletes young and old who do not believe in themselves!! WHY? They are JUST as talented and worthy as the guys!! I'm PROUD of Jennie for not only bringing this up but HAMMERING it home in a kind but forceful and determined way. Jennie also talks about body image problems in young girls. I know that no boy, no matter how ugly lumpy or inept he might be CONSIDERED, would think ill of himself or his abilities.Jennie also talks about her self-discipline and pounds it home as an INFLEXIBLE motto -- which I agree with whole heartedly. Mom Sylvia was the Master Of Discipline-- she even had an alarm clock that played Reveille and she always stressed Self-Discipline, the Ancient Spartans, and never letting your feelings show. Jennie's Dad on the other hand was kind loving AND very disciplined as well. He was Tough Love embodied in a kind heart.What can you NOT learn from this book!!? This book "Throw Like A Girl" SHOULD be required reading for all genders in all schools. We NEED to WAKE UP and make sure girls who love and play sports will grow into women who are WELCOMED for these talents!! AND we also need MOTHERS -- today and in the future -- who BELIEVE in, motivate and inspire their daughters -- even if the mothers have no interest or experience in sports!!There is ANOTHER exceptional role model in this book -- Lisa Fernandez. Read the chapter in "Role Models" -- p 138 in the paperback, about Lisa's indomitable, inventive and STRONG desire to triumph over ANYTHING that game day can throw you!!I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!! The copy I borrowed from the library was so dog eared and falling apart that I know that MANY others could not either!! BRAVO Jennie Finch!!!