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by Nina Mandell (Author)
The true story of a high school gymnastics team's most dramatic season
When the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School gymnastics team competes in the Ohio High School Athletic Association state gymnastics meet, they're expected to win. That's because they've won each year--since 2004. And as the streak builds, there's more pressure each year on the public school's team to continue that tradition. No year was more tense than the year that they were hoping to take home their 20th straight title.
A Fraction of a Point follows the Bees throughout the intense 2022-2023 season as the team works toward the state meet. During one of their most competitive seasons in recent years, sports journalist Nina Mandell explores the gymnasts' backstories and traces the legacy of the Ganim family, the team's longtime coaches. Initially led by husband and wife Joan and Ron Ganim, their daughter, Maria Schneider, then became coach. In a sport that has been plagued by scandal--especially for the mistreatment of athletes--the Ganims represent a changing face of gymnastics by emphasizing their players' well-being and mental health.
Throughout A Fraction of a Point, the players and coaches frequently question if they're good enough to keep the winning streak alive and if the gymnasts will be able to rise to the challenge. But this isn't just a story about one historic season. At its heart, it's also about the teenagers balancing athletics with high school life, the larger community that supported the team, what it means to compete for the joy of the sport, and the athletes' and coaches' dedication even while facing immense pressure.
Ultimately, the state title comes down to the final event. As the Bees line up to compete, the gym falls silent. Hundreds of gymnasts and their supporters from around the state watch and wonder: Will the Bees maintain their streak? Or will this be the year it all ends?
Author Biography
Nina Mandell is a journalist living in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, who has written for Bustle, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, The New York Daily News, and NBC Regional Sports Networks. She is the former managing editor of USA Today's "For The Win" site and the former digital director/managing editor of NBC Sports Washington, and currently works in sports marketing.
