The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Things are starting to look up for D.J. Schwenk- she's reconnected with her best friend Amber, has a "relationship" with Brian Nelson, she passed sophomore English and is starting linebacker for her high school football team. When an injury forces D.J. to quit football and a tragedy befalls her family, D.J. discovers strength that she never knew she had and gains the confidence to stand up for herself. Readers continue to watch D.J. Schwenk learn about herself and grow into a strong and independent young woman. The tone of this novel, however, is more serious then the first as DJ faces difficult decisions regarding her health and sports career, embarks on a rocky relationship with handsome rival Brian, and again has to put her life on hold when her family needs her.