Beneath the Armor of an Athlete: Female Amateur Wrestler's Book Helps Athletes and Coaches Recognize Achievement Compulsion Before Its Too Late

This book reveals the real-life experiences of a female amateur wrestler in the male-dominated sport. The author explores the concepts of achievement compulsion and competition anxiety, the impact on the athletes experience, and how addressing signs can influence athletic longevity.

GRAPEVINE, TX (PRWEB) May 16, 2003 -- Beneath the Armor of an Athlete: Real Strength on the Wrestling Mat reveals the real-life experiences of a female amateur wrestler in the male-dominated sport. The author explores the concepts of achievement compulsion and competition anxiety, the impact on the athletes experience, and how addressing signs can influence athletic longevity. The book is now available at local bookstores and Amazon.com.    

Most athletes are accustomed to dealing with physical obstacles; many times, its the mental barriers that interfere with athletic performance," said Lisa Whitsett, author of Beneath the Armor of an Athlete. My hope is that readers will identify with the behaviors described in the book, use that momentum to resolve emotions, and bring more joy into their sporting experience."

This nonfiction work is influenced by the authors 28 years of athletic participation, 14 of them amateur wrestling and coaching at all competition levels. The book is the first ever written by a female in the sport of amateur wrestling.

[This book ...reads like a novel and is just as suspenseful...[it is sports psychology at its rawest: experienced and described firsthand," according to the Library Journals review.

Beneath the Armor of an Athlete is ...about recognizing the fine line that exists between obsession and pure enjoyment [of the sport -win or lose," said Mike Gerald of Amateur Wrestling News.    

Whitsett holds a BA in Sociology from UC San Diego and an MA in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Northern Iowa. Whitsett will repeat her role as the coach for the Texas Girls National Wrestling Team this summer as she continues to train in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. In addition to training and writing, she and her husband, Steven Wills, own and operate Abba Facility Services, a facility management company.

Editor's Note: Complimentary copies of Beneath the Armor of an Athlete are available to the media upon request.