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Cree Jacobs can’t stand the Ballers Club—the elite group of athletes who rule Moorehead High. Arrogant, flashy, and overhyped, they’re everything she despises. And no one embodies that more than DeAndre Parker—basketball prodigy, son of an NBA legend, and the school’s golden boy. They should have no reason to cross paths—until a heated debate in class puts them at odds. DeAndre isn’t used to being challenged, and now, he’s determined to change Cree’s mind about him. As their rivalry turns to reluctant friendship, an undeniable spark ignites. But can she really resist the Ballers Club…or him? |
Ah, young love. Crushes abound in the halls of high school, rumors of romance run rampant. Young love, for all its awkwardness and drama, is amazing. The first time you hold hands, the first kiss, the break-up that made you feel you were absolutely, for sure, going to die. The excitement, the embarrassment, the butterflies, it was all worth it.
But how do teens even have the time for romance??? When you think about it, high school is an absolutely bananapants experience. In four years, teens are often expected to learn how to drive, start part-time jobs, and figure out what career they want for the rest of their lives. And they are required to do this all while dealing with changes to their bodies, peer pressure, balancing their social lives and home lives, and participating in extracurricular activities. Like sports, for instance. Sports not only teach teens about discipline, competition, and exercise, but they also get social interaction. And sometimes, that turns to romance.
YA sports romance stories aren’t just about the cheerleader falling for the football player anymore. They are about a multitude of different sports, and sometimes the cheerleader falls for another cheerleader, or the football player falls for a rival quarterback. In the great YA romances below, you’ll find first love between rival basketball teams, a Muay Thai fighter battling for approval, a friends-to-lovers baseball tale, and more. Let the games begin!
Diverse YA Sports Romances
Bruised by Tanya BotejuDaya Wijesinghe is hurting, and she thinks roller derby looks like a great way to deal with the pain she feels inside. Throwing herself around, knocking girls down, and getting all banged up is a welcome distraction from the fact that her parents recently died. Then she meets the kind Shanti, the younger sister of the captain of one of the roller derby teams. And Daya starts to realize it’s okay to be soft, too, as her feelings of first love grow. |
Out of Left Field by Kris Hui LeeMarnie is every bit as good at baseball as the boys in the neighborhood, including her best friend, Cody. But at high school it’s a different story—it’s not cool to let the girl play. Cody is still supportive of Marnie, and their time together begins to feel like something more. But when Cody is injured and the baseball team needs Marnie to pitch in the playoffs, even though they don’t want her, can she show everyone she’s deserving of the spot and still keep Cody? |
Furia by Yamile Saied MéndezCamila Hassan’s brother is a soccer star. But he’s not the only great soccer player in the family. Camila is excellent at fútbol, too, but her parents don’t know this because they would never approve of her playing. So she competes in secret, and ends up getting a scholarship to play at a university. But Camila needs her parents’ permission to attend, and she doesn’t think they’ll let her leave. And complicating her dreams of leaving is the fact that the boy she loved has returned to town. Can Camila keep her feelings for Diego at bay and convince her parents to let her chase her dreams? |
The Knockout by Sajni PatelSeventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is a Muay Thai fighter, a sport that is a kind of competitive boxing involving punching and kicking. Kareena knows her Indian community would never approve of a girl competing in such a sport, so she and her family keep her involvement a secret—even when she’s invited to the US Muay Thai Open. And then she starts to fall for Amit, who comes from a traditional Indian family. Will Kareena be able to gain his family’s approval while still training for her chance to be a Muay Thai star? |
All the Things We Never Knew by Liara TamaniIt’s love at first sight for teen basketball players Carli and Rex when they meet on a basketball court in Texas. But their young love is complicated by the fact that they go to different high schools, have home and school obligations, and are chasing dreams that could keep them apart. Can their relationship survive the challenges of high school and continue out of bounds, or will it be benched? (Three points for the basketball references!) |
Running with Lions by Julian WintersAnd last but not least, a queer romance about a soccer star and his estranged best friend who hates him. Soccer goalie Sebastian Hughes is looking forward to a great senior year, until his former best friend Emir joins the team. Part of making a team work is getting along with everyone, so Sebastian commits to patching things up with Emir. But as the two begin spending more time together off the field, it becomes apparent to Sebastian that his feelings for Emir have changed, and may even be reciprocated. |
And if you can get enough sports romance, check out 8 of the Best Queer Sports Romance Books, 10 Sports Romances to Bring Out Your Competitive Side, and 8 Sports Romance Books That Are Sure to Score Points.
