Gym Class Hero

Kalmbach, Martin Parks: - Martin Parks Kalmbach is a retired teacher who was a head girls varsity basketball coach for twenty-seven seasons (thirty-five years coaching in total, in several sports) which gave him insight into the teen-age athlete's mind. As a teacher of students with learning disabilities, Martin read many coming of age sports fiction novels such as Chris Crutcher's "Whale Talk" and "Athletic Shorts" with his students. His adult favorite sports fiction novels include Don DeLillo's 'End Zone' and Chad Harbach's 'The Art of Fielding'. Martin eventually took summer writing courses at the University of Wisconsin's Writer's Institute where he received favorable critiques from Kathy Steffen (Author of the "Spirit of the River" series) who gave him confidence about his amazing dialogue and voice. Martin Parks Kalmbach brings experience and knowledge and humor to this terrific coming-of-age story about the world of high school sports.