Olympic gymnast and Cirque du Soleil acrobat Mary Sanders shares her incredible story of dedication and personal sacrifice that led to success and reinvention.
Mary Sanders was handed an Olympic dream by her father from the moment she was born. Determined to follow in his footsteps, the young gymnast struggled through training setbacks, financial hardships, and personal rivalries, under a cloud of grief, to compete in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. But that achievement was only the beginning for a woman determined to reinvent herself and consistently raise her own standards for success.
In this revealing memoir, Mary recounts her journey from Olympian to Cirque du Soleil acrobat to entertainment executive working for Shark Tank ’s Robert Herjavec while balancing life at home with two children.
Through it all, no matter what obstacles are thrown in her path, Mary pushes forward, leaning on her faith, her family, and her enduring optimism to support her in each of her nine lives so far
Mary Sanders, OLY has dual citizenship of the U.S and Canada. Mary was a two-time Canadian Champion in Rhythmic Gymnastics until she made the unimaginable switch to compete and represent the U.S. to honor her father’s legacy. Mary’s dad, a Big Ten Champion from the University of Michigan, was a coach and mentor until he passed away from cancer when Mary was 8. To this day, he remains the fuel to her fire. Overcoming an incredible set of challenges from the outset that would have deterred many, she looked to her single mother and older brothers for inspiration. Mary became a 2004 US Olympian in Rhythmic Gymnastics, two-time US Champion, Pan American (5 gold medals), Four Continents Champion, two-time Athlete of the Year, USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Inductee and earned the title as the most successful rhythmic gymnast in all the Western Hemisphere.
My Thoughts
Being a former gymnast and someone who has always loved gymnastics this book is a real testament to the training and his difficult it is to be what we are.
Coming from a background of artistic and not rythmic means I don’t have the same background knowledge of the events or of skills performed or what they are named. What it does give me is an appreciation for what these people go through daily.
Rythmic gymnastics is a very different skill set and it’s more based on beauty of the movements as well as the ability to use devices in the performances. While the artistic gymnastics is very much more about the tricks and the strength then in the poetry in motion.
A gymnasts life can be lonely as you train so much of your time which leaves little for anything else. Often the gymnasts become your family more than your own family. In this case her father was her coach which allowed that bond but as you will read it felt very strained and she was pushed beyond her abilities and capabilities at a very young age.
Her father’s name for her of Little Olympian must have been a huge pressure for her as she was trying not to let her father down as he was unable to achieve that goal.
I could her anguish at parts of this book and felt ashamed at some of how she was treated by Canadian gymnastics federation.
I love the story of the Athens Olympics and touring and then instead of doing her university degree she went to cirque du Soleil. Following her passion for performance.
The concept of the life and how many she has is interesting however it can at times be a little bit as well since that is what separates her chapters as well as all the major important points of her life.
Finding out that Nassar had been part of her life in 2012 was sickening especially knowing what happened as she explained it. It is horrid to think of what the young women who were treated by Nassar endured.
The book was very well written and edited. I am coming to the conclusion that Dundurn Press the publisher has the most amazing team for memoirs. This is my second memoir from the publisher and both have been some of the best writing that I have seen.
What a harrowing life she has had from a young age up until she was an adult and had accidents that could have killed her. She persevered through everything and has shown a grace that few seem to have.
The books title fits well with the idea of having different lives. Like the title this is like a cat and she ended up using her 9 lives and was only 35. Mary is a powerful person who survived multiple issues and she managed to come out stronger and with the family that she deserves to have.
I want to thank the author for writing this book and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to read the advanced reader copy so that I could do an honest review.
Crazy Canadian Writing 