TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER The Bookworm Sez Advertisement

What makes a great athlete?

Is it practice, brawn, and determination in the face of competition? Could it be tenacity, and "heart"?

Or could it be humility and a spirit that never quits?

Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner has all of the above and then some. In his new book "Never Stop Pushing" (with Bob Schaller), you'll read about Gardner's life, his triumphs, and the perseverance that saved him and his career.

Growing up in a large Wyoming Mormon family, Gardner says that it was important that each member pitch in with farm chores. Doing so ensured that the family was successful. While Gardner says that the hours, the work, and the physical demands weren't fun, they helped instill a sense of duty and responsibility.

Gardner says he wasn't a very good student in school (he was later diagnosed with a learning disability) and, although he tried hard, he didn't do well.

He refers to himself as "slow" and he was physically larger than his peers, which made him unpopular with his classmates. Fortunately, a teacher saw something in the big kid and steered Gardner toward sports.

As a first-grader wrestling fifth-graders, Gardner admits he wasn't very good but he believes it might have been due to his immaturity. As he matured, his wrestling ability became easier and Gardner began winning a lot.

Undefeated, and seeing an opportunity, Gardner worked hard on the mat so he could secure a college scholarship. The only time he remembers defying his father, he says, is over high school sports practice versus farm chores. Gardner says he didn't get much sleep then because he needed to do both.

At the University of Nebraska, Gardner first saw Greco-Roman wrestling and was intrigued. He started seriously competing in the sport (which is slightly different from freestyle wrestling) and the rest, as they say, is Olympic history.

But not quite.

In 2002, two years after the Miracle on the Mat and two years before winning the Bronze Medal in his second Olympics, Gardner made a serious mistake that almost cost him his life. In his book, he tells about the vision that gave him strength to live and commitment to return to the sport he loved.

At first, "Never Stop Pushing" was a little too homespun and folksy for me. I was expecting a slick sports boast from a famous top athlete, but that's not Rulon Gardner's way.

Gardner is quiet and humble in this book, extremely respectful and almost surprised at his successes. He is charmingly in awe of the crowds who adore him and although braggadocio is common in the sports world Gardner credits his family and his upbringing for his achievements. The words "hard work" pop up on page after page in this gentle, inspiring autobiography.

If you're looking for a sports story by an athlete who doesn't brag about the women he's had, the parties he's attended, or the refs he's insulted, then get this one. "Never Stop Pushing" is a book you'll never want to stop reading.

"Never Stop Pushing" by Rulon Gardner with Bob Schaller2005, Carroll & Graf, $15.95 paperback, 341 pages.