Title: Sport: A Stage for Life: How to Connect with the Touchstones of Elite
Performance and Personal Fulfillment
Author: Cristiana Pinciroli
Publisher: iUniverse
ASIN: B0B3M2XL6K
Pages: 408
Genre: Spiritual Growth / Self-Help
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers

Read Book Review

For centuries, sports and the athletes who take on those sporting events, have been the
source of countless inspirational tales. Sports have evolved over time along with the
bigger movements that have defined our world’s history. From the days of ancient
Greece and the development of the first Olympic Games, to the Ancient Egyptians
development of swimming events and our modern day, 21st century sports have
become a major business in itself and always been a source of inspiring stories.
Yet in our modern era, where athletes perform until injuries or age forces them to retire,
the wealth which they became accustomed to often becomes lost when those athletes
no longer have another path to follow. Some, however, have found that investing in or
learning to grow into or their own business has been the answer to their problems, and
many have used the lessons taught in their athletic careers to strengthen their business
goals. That is the basis for author Cristiana Pinciroli’s Sport: A Stage for Life: How to
Connect with the Touchstones of Elite Performance and Personal Fulfillment.

The author shares the personal story of not only herself, but her father, both of whom
were professional water polo players and who used the lessons they learned in sports
to not only build highly successful corporate careers, but found ways in which to
strengthen their own personal lives as well in positive ways. The book also brings
together other success stories from world-renowned athletes and coaches, as well as
academics and scientists and psychologists who verify the scientific basis for the idea
that human possibilities can lead to a lifetime of joy and wonderment.

The author did a spectacular job of bridging the gap between athletics and personal
wellness, delving into concepts such as teamwork and how to utilize energy within our
own bodies to help with meditation and self-esteem. The attention to detail and the
personal connection the author shared between her own career in sports and her
professional career later on in life, as well as the culture and family elements from her
own past which shaped her as a person, made the book feel more connective and
inspiring at the same time.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy nonfiction books, especially those who
enjoy self-help and personal transformation style storytelling. This book will also appeal
to those with a passion for sports. The author does a remarkable job of not only
showcasing what a life of professional athletics can do to help with one’s personal
transformation journey, but even those who begin their life of sports at a young age,
playing in little league or some other children’s athletics program, allowing readers to
see a bit of themselves in the stories the author captures as well. A truly thoughtful and
insightful look into utilizing sports for spiritual and professional growth, this is one book
readers won’t be able to put down once they start reading.