International Gymnast - November 2012

‘Becoming a True Champion’

Achieving Athletic Excellence From the Inside Out

By KIRK MANGO / Former NCAA champion Website: www.becomingatruechampion.com

IN an age and culture that seems to glorify the vanity displayed by so many of today’s ports icons, Kirk Mango’s “Becoming a True Champion: Achieving Athletic Excellence From the Inside Out” may be a tough sell. But Mango is not the type to give up easily—or ever.

Mango was a self-motivated Northern Illinois gymnast who won the 1979 NCAA rings title. Now he gives motivational speech-es that hinge on the theme of his book, which he wrote after hearing a bunch of parents discuss their kids’ soccer experience over a post-game meal.

“The whole conversation centered around
everything outside the athlete’s control,
meaning the coach, the training, who played
where,…” Mango says. “And from a bigger
picture, that’s kind of what I’ve seen in my
career as a teacher and coach in high school.
And at that moment, listening to them, I was
Comaneci, the book is divided into three
sections: The Principles of a True Champion
(Someone Only in Legends?); Building the
Dream (The Training Process); and Putting It
All Together (Mango’s personal journey).

just taken aback, because it was so divorced from the experience I had as an athlete.” On the drive home, he remembers telling his wife that he should write a book, but his angle would be unique.

“I want to address the person who has the most control over making the changes that need to be made in our youth sports culture, and that’s the athletes themselves,” says Mango, adding that his book is written for athletes 14 and older.

Mango focuses on empowering individuals to believe in themselves enough to set a course of action and develop the CDSPH—Commitment, Discipline, Sacrifice, Priorities, Heart—to complete the task.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT & CIRCULATION

Publication title/number: International Gymnast/0891-6616
Annual subscription price (US)/Frequency: $30.00/10 times/year
Publisher: Paul Ziert & Associates, Inc., P.O. Box 721020,
Norman, OK 73070
Issue date for circulation data: September 2012

Extent & Nature of Circulation
Average No. Actual No. Copies
Copies Each of Single Issue
Issue During Pub. Nearest
Prev. 12 mos. to Filing Date

a. Total No. of Copies (Net press run) 12,670 b. Paid Circulation

1) Paid Outside-County Mail 9,314

Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541

2) Paid In-County Subscriptions Stated 0 on Form 3541

3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, 1,943 Street Vendors and Counter Sales, and other non-USPS Paid Distribution

4) Other Classes Mailed Through USPS 35 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circ. 11,292 d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution

1) Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 325

2) In-County as Stated on Form 3541 0

3) Other Classes Mailed Through USPS 0
4) Distribution Outside Mail 80
e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 325
f. Total Distribution 11,617
g. Copies Not Distributed 1,053
h. Total 12,670
i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circ. 98%