Episode 84: Faith Dismuke Sprint Dreams

May 21, 2020
Former track and field athlete and new novelist Faith Dismuke ran for Villanova an NCAA Division I school and for USA Track and Field. She experienced the usual struggles athletes face throughout careers from youth sports up through the professional ranks. In 2015, Faith earned a Master’s degree from the University of Connecticut with a focus on media's influence on the representation and psychology of student-athletes of color.

And now, Faith is an author. Sprint Dreams is her first novel a story about eighteen-year-old college sophomore, Makeda Delane. She can't speak patois, she can't find love, and she can't convince her college coach to give her a scholarship. Despite all of that, she is determined to compete at Nationals. Makeda believes her path to athletic success will be a smooth ride once she proves to her coach and teammates that she can compete with the best of collegiate track and field. Instead, tension evolves between Makeda and her teammates and pushes her into a series of decisions that could destroy her All-American dreams. She knew becoming an elite athlete would be difficult, but she did not expect to find herself at odds with those she trusts, or herself.

Faith Dismuke
Read the First Chapter
Buy Sprint Dreams
Faith on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Authors:
Jason Reynolds, Patina
Elizabeth Aceveda, Clap When You Land
Nic Stone
Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at hearhersports.com/books

If you like this episode, you may also enjoy:
🎤 Episode 54, Ashli Pratt mentioned by Faith in the episode. Listen Here.
🎤 Fast Track 8, Track & Field athlete, Katie Nageotte. Listen Here.
🎤 Episode 41, Olympic 100-meter hurler, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley. Listen Here.
🎤 Episode 15, former D1 Coach Sam Bluske about recruiting. Listen Here.