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Mountains Within: A Life of Achievement, a Quest for Meaning, and the Mountain that Changed Everything
When Winning Isn’t Lessons from Sport Science, Faith, and Finding MeaningJack Groppel was driven to succeed long before he understood why. The son of a demanding, alcoholic father, Jack learned early that achievement was the only path to approval. By his twenties, he had already become among the youngest NCAA tennis coaches in the country, despite never having formal tennis training. Soon after, he was helping shape the future of sport science, training world-class athletes, and speaking on stages with global leaders. His résumé grew to include tennis halls of fame, Fortune 50 boardrooms, and speaking about chronic disease prevention before the United Nations.
But behind the accolades was a man unraveling. Failed marriages, estranged relationships, and a hospital stay with no one by his side revealed the emptiness of a life lived for trophies and applause. Everything changed when Jack adopted Shen, a toddler from China who wanted nothing to do with him. Their uneasy beginnings grew into a bond that redefined Jack’s understanding of love.
Mountains Within is an unflinching account of chasing success at any cost—and finally learning what matters most. From developing and validating the training of world-class athletes and sharing the stage with Christopher Reeve and Mikhail Gorbachev to a life-shifting climb up Kilimanjaro with his son, Jack shares how achievement addiction nearly destroyed him—and how fatherhood, faith, and a mountain helped him find redemption.
Go behind the scenes and dawn of sport science and some of the breakthroughs that shaped modern athletics.How childhood wounds can fuel achievement addiction—and how to break free.The impact of adoption, parenting, and faith to transform a life.How to redefine personal success so it strengthens rather than destroys your relationships.Inspiration to climb your own “mountains within” and focus on a purposeful journey of meaning, balance, and love.
Raw, candid, and unexpectedly hopeful, Mountains Within is more than a memoir of sports, success, and sacrifice. It’s a story of fatherhood, redemption, and learning that true greatness is measured not in trophies but in love and legacy.
But behind the accolades was a man unraveling. Failed marriages, estranged relationships, and a hospital stay with no one by his side revealed the emptiness of a life lived for trophies and applause. Everything changed when Jack adopted Shen, a toddler from China who wanted nothing to do with him. Their uneasy beginnings grew into a bond that redefined Jack’s understanding of love.
Mountains Within is an unflinching account of chasing success at any cost—and finally learning what matters most. From developing and validating the training of world-class athletes and sharing the stage with Christopher Reeve and Mikhail Gorbachev to a life-shifting climb up Kilimanjaro with his son, Jack shares how achievement addiction nearly destroyed him—and how fatherhood, faith, and a mountain helped him find redemption.
Go behind the scenes and dawn of sport science and some of the breakthroughs that shaped modern athletics.How childhood wounds can fuel achievement addiction—and how to break free.The impact of adoption, parenting, and faith to transform a life.How to redefine personal success so it strengthens rather than destroys your relationships.Inspiration to climb your own “mountains within” and focus on a purposeful journey of meaning, balance, and love.
Raw, candid, and unexpectedly hopeful, Mountains Within is more than a memoir of sports, success, and sacrifice. It’s a story of fatherhood, redemption, and learning that true greatness is measured not in trophies but in love and legacy.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 8, 2026
About the author
Jack Groppel
6 books4 followersJack Groppel, PhD, is a pioneer in the field of human performance whose career has spanned sport science, coaching, global business, and personal transformation. Known for blending groundbreaking research with real-world application, Groppel became one of the most influential voices in sport science and performance training. He served as one of the youngest NCAA head tennis coaches at just 25, conducted cutting-edge biomechanics research, and went on to work with world-class athletes, including the Chicago White Sox, and Nike—developing and validating the training of hundreds of world-class athletes. As the founding chair of the USTA Sports Science Committee, he helped develop the standard for Olympic and professional sports performance programs worldwide.
Beyond the court and laboratory, Groppel became a sought-after advisor to Fortune 500 companies, amassing more than seven million miles of global travel and sharing stages with leaders such as Christopher Reeve, Margaret Thatcher, Paul Harvey, and Mikhail Gorbachev. He cofounded and scaled the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute (1992–2019), building an international reputation for applying sport science to leadership and workplace performance. His books, including The Corporate Athlete, have become classics in performance training and leadership.
Groppel’s expertise is backed by a BS in agricultural science, an MS in physical education, and a PhD in exercise physiology. He has served as a tenured professor, published widely in peer-reviewed journals, spoken at three U.S. congressional briefings, and addressed the United Nations on the role of physical activity in preventing chronic disease. A Hall of Fame coach, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois in 2025 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association in 2023.
Born in Carrollton, Illinois, and raised with humble Midwestern roots, Groppel found his life transformed in 2008 when he adopted his son, Shen, from China. Together, they summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017, a symbolic journey that reshaped his understanding of legacy and fulfillment. Today, Groppel lives his mission to help others find meaning beyond achievement—investing in relationships, faith, and purpose as the true measures of a life well lived.
When he’s not speaking or coaching, Groppel enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and being in nature.
Beyond the court and laboratory, Groppel became a sought-after advisor to Fortune 500 companies, amassing more than seven million miles of global travel and sharing stages with leaders such as Christopher Reeve, Margaret Thatcher, Paul Harvey, and Mikhail Gorbachev. He cofounded and scaled the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute (1992–2019), building an international reputation for applying sport science to leadership and workplace performance. His books, including The Corporate Athlete, have become classics in performance training and leadership.
Groppel’s expertise is backed by a BS in agricultural science, an MS in physical education, and a PhD in exercise physiology. He has served as a tenured professor, published widely in peer-reviewed journals, spoken at three U.S. congressional briefings, and addressed the United Nations on the role of physical activity in preventing chronic disease. A Hall of Fame coach, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois in 2025 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association in 2023.
Born in Carrollton, Illinois, and raised with humble Midwestern roots, Groppel found his life transformed in 2008 when he adopted his son, Shen, from China. Together, they summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017, a symbolic journey that reshaped his understanding of legacy and fulfillment. Today, Groppel lives his mission to help others find meaning beyond achievement—investing in relationships, faith, and purpose as the true measures of a life well lived.
When he’s not speaking or coaching, Groppel enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and being in nature.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 9, 2026
Inspirational, encouraging, and raw. Worth the read
I loved reading this book. Jack has a great story to tell, and the words, sentences and paragraphs are beautifully written. We all have mountains to climb, internal mountains that we face, and this book shares Jack’s mountains. The book beautifully begins and ends with Jack and his son climbing Mt Kilimanjaro - impressive and inspirational!
I loved reading this book. Jack has a great story to tell, and the words, sentences and paragraphs are beautifully written. We all have mountains to climb, internal mountains that we face, and this book shares Jack’s mountains. The book beautifully begins and ends with Jack and his son climbing Mt Kilimanjaro - impressive and inspirational!
January 9, 2026
I am not a tennis person and it was the adoption story that encouraged me to pick it up. It’s a really interesting story of an interesting person. To be fair it could be any of our stories emotionally, i feel like his occupation is incidental, but its always interesting to read about someone’s life.
January 22, 2026
Mountains Within is a must read. Jack does not hold back sharing his life experiences. It doesn’t matter if it is good, bad or ugly. His writing is honest and reflective and leaves you feeling inspired. You can feel his personality shine through - it’s like he’s sharing his stories with you in person!
The cover art, title and stories are cohesive. Jack shares his internal “mountains” and he literally summits Mount Kilimanjaro - wow! You will be very impressed with his accomplishments and his honesty on how those accomplishments affected his personal life.
There are an abundance of remarkable stories in this book. Jack has been a lot of places, seen a lot of things and met a ton of people, but this memoir is more than just a retelling of exciting stories. I came away asking myself deeper questions about life, was reminded that it’s never too late to change and that you can change if you are willing to put in the work.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! 5/5 stars.
The cover art, title and stories are cohesive. Jack shares his internal “mountains” and he literally summits Mount Kilimanjaro - wow! You will be very impressed with his accomplishments and his honesty on how those accomplishments affected his personal life.
There are an abundance of remarkable stories in this book. Jack has been a lot of places, seen a lot of things and met a ton of people, but this memoir is more than just a retelling of exciting stories. I came away asking myself deeper questions about life, was reminded that it’s never too late to change and that you can change if you are willing to put in the work.
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! 5/5 stars.
January 22, 2026
Finding the courage to admit you have an addiction (doesn't have to be drugs or alcohol), is sometimes the hardest step you can take. This is a beautifully written life experience. We don't always end up where we planned to, but we always end up where we're meant to.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews