Jake Maddox

When his friend Max asks him to join a tennis league, Henry can't say no. It's expensive, so Max's dad pays Henry's way. Henry can't tell his dad, or he'll have to give up tennis for good. Is being able to play the game he loves worth hiding the truth?

Read online

257

Published: 2010

Soccer Shake-Up

Dominic doesn't want to play soccer, but when his mom signs him up, he has no choice. So Dominic just messes around on the field during practice, even though he secretly admires the skills of Carlos, his star-player teammate. When Carlos has to miss a game, Dominic starts to think it could be his time to shine. But after his rowdy behavior, will his coach or any of his teammates trust Dominic to score big?

Read online

253

Published: 2015

Aerials and Envy

Jake Maddox

Gymnastics team captain Tamaya Jackson sometimes feels like her hard work goes unnoticed. She finally snags her chance to shine when a local news station does a special report on the team. But nothing comes without a price. Can Tamaya handle the extra pressure and jealousy among teammates the way a captain should?

Read online

247

Published: 2019

Pool Panic

Jake Maddox

Jenny has always loved swimming, so this year she's finally decided to join the swim team. Jenny cruises through the pool during practice, but when she sees the crowd of spectators at her first meet, she freezes up. Can Jenny overcome her fears and help lead her team to victory? This fast-paced sports story is a winning read for any young athlete!

Read online

244

Published: 2015

Softball Switch-Up

Jake Maddox

Raisa Kumar has been playing softball for years, and thanks to the support and encouragement of her team, the Silver Stars, she's one of the best pitchers in the league. When a new girl, Annie, joins the team and wants to learn how to pitch, Raisa is eager to help. But Raisa is sure her way is the best way, what words for her has to work for Annie. Can Raisa lean to step back and share the mound for the good of her team?

Read online

239

Published: 2019

Undercover BMX

Jake Maddox

Devon Rosario has played basketball his whole life, and he's great at it, so great, in fact, that his dad, team, and community in the Bronx can't imagine him doing anything else. And while Devon loves his team, he's not so happy with the rigid structure his success in the sport and his father's expectations has created. So when he sees Jamal, a Yemeni refugee and new kid at school, doing BMX tricks on his bike one day he's intrigued. Can Devon keep his newfound love of BMX under wraps? Or will he be busted when his BMX secret comes out?

Read online

238

Published: 2019

Gold Medal Swim

Jake Maddox

Sam is the best swimmer on his school swim team. When Julien, a new exchange student at school, joins the team near the end of the season, Sam offers to help him practice. But when Sam and Julien have to race against each other in the final meet, only one swimmer can win the gold.

Read online

230

Published: 2012

Paintball Problems

Jake Maddox

Max is excited for the end of the school year; not only will he get a break from Alex, the school bully, but he'll also get to spend the summer playing paintball. But when Alex joins the paintball league too, things go from bad to worse. The bully has Max firmly in his sights, and Max has to find a solution for his paintball problems before it's too late.

Read online

224

Published: 2014

Takedown

Jake Maddox

Contemporary stories about teamwork and sportsmanship.

Read online

216

Published: 2009

Drive to the Hoop

Jake Maddox

A girl on the JV basketball team was injured, and Mel has been asked to take her place. Mel is thrilled. But the girls on the freshman team aren't happy for her. In fact, they're being downright mean. How can Mel play to win when she doesn't have teammates on her side?

Read online

207

Published: 2011

Digging Deep

Jake Maddox

Asiyah Najjar is upping her volleyball game and joining the travel team. But the practices are longer, harder, and more frequent than her old rec squad's. Now easy-going Asiyah is having a tough time focusing up and making the commitment. Can she dig deep and jump to the next level of play? With a glossary, writing prompts, discussion questions, and extra volleyball info, this fast-paced Jake Maddox sports story is a win-win for both educators and students!

Read online

203

Published: 2020

Stock Car Sabotage

Jake Maddox

Danny Mason's brother, "Clean" Cole Mason, is famous on the stock-car circuit for being a good guy. So Danny can't believe it when he starts to see signs that someone on his brother's team is sabotaging his opponents. Danny has to figure out what's going on before someone gets seriously hurt.

Read online

197

Published: 2010

Soccer Sensation

Jake Maddox

Cameron Jones plays soccer not because he loves it, but because his dad believed he will one day earn a big prize: a college scholarship. When his father's job transfer takes him from the big city to a small-town team, Cameron thinks it might be his chance to take a step back from soccer. His new team is unorganized and his teammates seem uninterested in the discipline it takes to win. But maybe this new team is exactly what Cameron needs to make soccer fun again.

Read online

192

Published: 2020

Skate Park Challenge

Jake Maddox

Nick is injured skateboarding, but he quickly jumps back on the road to recovery in hopes of being ready for the big competition. With practice, Nick hopes he'll be able to skate the killer half pipes and thin rails just like the pros.

Read online

183

Published: 2013

Fast-Break Friends

Jake Maddox

Anthony Duran has been Ricky Lau's best friend and basketball buddy since they were little. But now that Ricky has moved schools, the boys find themselves on different middle school basketball teams. With few new friends, Ricky still wants to shoot hoops with his best bud. Anthony, on the other hand, doesn't want to practice with an opponent. Ricky is willing to do whatever it takes to get his friend back. But what if that means letting his new team down?

Read online

176

Published: 2021