High school football is about glory, teamwork, and Friday night lights, but what happens when the very sport that defines a family also threatens to tear it apart? In Dinged, Tommy Greenwald delivers a powerful story that blends gripping sports drama with tough questions about health, identity, and the price of America’s favorite game.
Dinged Summary
Caleb Springer is the star freshman quarterback, already drawing attention from college scouts. It’s no surprise because his dad, Sammy Springer, was once an NFL superstar and is still the town’s hero. But as Caleb’s career takes off, his dad begins to falter. Sammy is forgetting things, lashing out unexpectedly, and showing troubling signs that the hits he took on the field may be catching up with him.
Caleb is left with an impossible question: Should he keep playing the game that gives him purpose and status, if it might destroy him the way it destroyed his father?
Dinged Themes
Though Greenwald is no stranger to writing about high school sports, Dinged goes deeper. It doesn’t shy away from the dangers of concussions and the long-term effects of repeated head trauma, issues that aging college and NFL players continue to face. The book also challenges readers to reflect on an important cultural question: Why do we love football so much in America, even when we know how dangerous it can be?
Why Middle School Students Will Love It
I would recommend Dinged to middle school student-athletes. It’s fast-paced, relatable, and entertaining, but it also opens the door to meaningful conversations about safety, identity, and what it really means to succeed. Caleb’s story will resonate with young athletes who dream of greatness and with anyone who has ever wrestled with the cost of chasing a dream. Dinged is more than a sports novel. It’s a thoughtful, timely exploration of what happens when our cultural love for football collides with the harsh reality of its risks.
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