Billie Jean King's new book PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE - Lessons I've learned from life and the Battle of the Sexes released in August of 2008 is a must read for any aspiring junior tennis player and, most certainly, a must read by their parents.

How to handle opponents. How to adjust to the current situation during a match. How to always give 100% on the court. Most importantly, how to handle pressure. These are just a few of the life/tennis lessons Ms. King shares in an easy-to-read, friendly style.

The book reveals for the very first time the behind the scenes thoughts, events, training and pressures King went through leading up to the legendary 1973 Battle of the Sexes. She played Bobby Riggs before 30, 000 fanatical fans in the Houston Astrodome, with another 50 million TV viewers in 37 countries glued to their screens.

Prior to the 1970's, female athletes weren't competing for the same kind of money on the professional tour and couldn't get equal treatment for college athletic scholarships. After that match, that single event, the world changed how it regarded women in many areas of daily life regarding gender-equality.

So today, every young girl who gets an athletic scholarship to play any sport can thank Billie Jean King!

So today, every woman in professional sports who gets a paycheck can thank Billie Jean King!

So today, every woman who gets treated gender- equal at work can thank Billie Jean King!

In 1975, Seventeen Magazine polled its readers and found that Billie Jean King to be the most admired woman in the world.

In 1976, Time Magazine voted her "Woman of the Year." Notice that wasn't Sportsman of the Year.

In 1990, Life Magazine voted her one of the "Top 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century.

Women need to thank Billie Jean King for the doors she has opened for them and men need to thank her for the eyes she has opened in them! PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE is an easy read, but took a lot of hard work on the part of one woman to gather the experiences to be able to say and do something of great importance. Good job, Billie Jean!

Copyright 2008 Marv Huss