Hurdles in the Dark: My Story of Survival, Resilience, and Triumph

Gr 9 Up–Mexican American athlete and track star Gonzalez delves into overcoming immense challenges in her life. The majority of her memoir centers on her high school career as a track and field hurdler. She saw the sport as her opportunity to earn a college scholarship and to make a better life for herself. Gonzalez had to jump many hurdles in her life as well, including leaving the barrio where all her family lived, raising $40,000 to save her kidnapped mother who crossed the border for a wedding, being arrested and taken to a juvenile detention center, and sexual abuse by her coach. Despite these obstacles, Gonzalez was a nationally ranked track star and received a full college athletic scholarship until a series of injuries resulted in her losing her scholarship. Gonzalez later created a thriving track and field club team as a coach and went back to school to become a first-generation college graduate. There are so many life lessons packed into this memoir. Readers will be absorbed by Gonzalez’s honest account of her setbacks and triumphs, utilizing many journals and diaries she kept growing up. The tone shifts to the adult Gonzalez for the afterword; it is here that she explains her life lessons, her college experiences, and more. She also talks more about the darker side of sports, including grooming and sexual abuse, and the importance of mental health and finding the right help.