TY - BOOK AU - Moceanu,Dominique AU - Williams,Paul AU - Williams,Teri TI - Off balance: a memoir SN - 1451608659 (hbk.) PY - 2012/// CY - New York PB - Simon & Schuster KW - Moceanu, Dominique, KW - Gymnastics KW - Social aspects KW - Women gymnasts KW - United States KW - Biography N1 - "A Touchstone Book." N2 - At fourteen, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the 1996 U.S. Women's Olympic Gymnastic team, the first and only American women's team to take gold at the Olympics. Her pixie-like appearance, passion for the sport, and ferocious competitive drive quickly earned her the status of media darling. But behind the fame, the flawless floor routines, and the million-dollar smile, her life was a series of challenges and hardships. From her stubborn father and long-suffering mother, to her notorious coach, Bela Karolyi, Off Balance reveals how each of the dominating characters contributed to her rise to the top. She shares the stories of competition, her years of hiding injuries and pain out of fear of retribution, and how she hit rock bottom after being publicly scorned by her father. But medals, murder plots, drugs, and daring escapes aside, the most unique aspect of her life is the family secret that Moceanu discovers, opening a new and unexpected chapter in her adult life.--From publisher description ER -