Do you feel America should have done more to become a world-class runner or do you feel her concerns were justified? What about Corky's viewpoint?

America looks at potentially competing in the Olympics as an impossibility due to finances. Corky, on the other hand, thinks worrying about money doesn't make sense, that "being the best in the world was all that mattered." Do you feel America should have done more to become a world-class runner or do you feel her concerns were justified? What about Corky's viewpoint?

I think that America could have pushed for more and potentially would have been an Olympic athlete. People (even in the 1960's and before) who were good athletes were given opportunities.

Corky was naive about America's potential struggle for success probably not realizing it would take more for America to succeed than it would for Corky.

For every famous athlete, there are probably three more out there who are as good as better. However, because of life circumstances such as finances or opportunity, never have the chance to reach the pinnacle of success. America also had to cope with racism and having to move often for her father to be employed. It would have taken a lot to overcome all that.

I think we all decide what is worth fighting for. For America, her potential challenge was the Olympics and considering all that she would need to deal with. Maybe for Corky, life was a little more sheltered - she did not have the same worries as America, so she could be more idealistic. For women like me, coming of age in that era, the potential "fight" was often in the career/future we chose. I think each person makes their choices based on so many factors. I would love to read a further story about how and what America did choose and how her life turned out. I wanted the story to continue after America shows up at Corky's door!

America had the athletic ability for the Olympics and she was aware of it but she also knew the many roadblocks that she would have to confront and did not have the confidence to do so. Corky on the other hand only saw the potential so that caused a conflict between them. But considering the time period and age of Corky and America both views are resonable.

In a perfect world, America would have had the chance to be an Olympian athlete. She certainly had the desire; but realistically, it would have been an obstacle to be black and economically poor. I think it would only have happened if the community recognized her talent and "teamed up" to financially help America.

I don't have feelings around America's decision...it was her decision and she needed to be supported in her choice.

Corkey’s life was very different than America’s. Corky had a stable and sheltered life. She was carefree and didn’t have many real life decisions to make. America was always moving. Her father needed to find jobs whenever they moved, which was quite a bit. I think America had more on her plate and an unstable life because of her frequent moving. The Olympics was an add on she didn’t need.

Corky was a young very naive, confused girl who lived in a time where open ideas were certainty not encourage. She received mixed messages from those in her own family and town as to what was acceptable and what was not. She saw America as a friend or at least wanted that to be the case. She also idolized her for her athletic ability. She herself enjoyed sports and had a brother who also was sport minded. America’s choices were limited in her mind as she faced racism and a path that no matter what her abilities was never going to an easy one.

America had enough maturity to realize that her family life was unstable and attention needed to be centered around the day-to-day tasks of survival and reuniting with her father to keep the family intact. Running provided a stress release from the conversations that inevitably were being held at home while waiting on her father's potential employment. America's cooperation with the softball game signaled moments of welcomed distraction from her family life in contrast to what she observed at the Corcoran residence, but I don't think America allowed herself to take any encouragement toward an Olympic dream seriously. In fact, the idea really was planted in her mind by others and didn't appear to come from her heart.

I agree with Julib. Getting to the Olympics is a difficult task and takes many things for it to occur. While there have been black athletes from poor families the obstacles they had to overcome were monumental.

I don't think the Olympics was ever America's dream, it was the dream of the white folks around her. They recognized her talent and wanted to help. I think she would have needed a LOT more support, plus a lot of motivation, and I just don't feel like it was a realistic goal for her. I wish we knew how her life ended up; I'm willing to bet she was successful, even if that success wasn't athletic.

I don't feel like we are given a big enough window into America and her pursuit of running. She loved getting her cleets. Who is to say how she pursued running after she left High Cotton.

I think America loved to run. The Olympic dream was probably never truly hers, but instead the people around her. She is that child, I saw so often as a teacher, that carries the weight of her family on her shoulders. Her decisions were always going to be what helped not just her, but her family.

I agree with what julib wrote regarding America. Also, America really did have limited opportunities because of moving, finances, her unstable family environment. Corky took things on her side of the tracks for granted. She very much wanted to break the divide and become America's friend, but she didn't understand America's life positions. The idea and dream for America was much more coming from Corky, but I believe that they both had mutual respect for each other and feeling that lasted throughout the many years of the story.

We, as the readers, do not know enough about America to know if she could have pursued an Olympic ambition. Certainly, her athleticism was not the problem, she was an awesome athlete. However, she did not have the family support or finances to pursue the daunting task of preparing for an Olympic title.