ONE MORE MINUTE FOR COURTNEY – Valerie Phillips *

110,00

Published by Longer Moon Farther – 2003 – UK

17 x 21 cm – 96 pages – Soft cover

First edition – Condition: near mint.

In the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci made history as the first athlete to score a perfect 10, winning three gold medals. She’s also said to be the inspiration behind Takeshi Kitano’s famous gag “Comaneci.” After retiring, she married Bart Conner, a former U.S. Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, and together they opened the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in the suburbs of Oklahoma City.

Valerie Phillips, the photographer, was once captivated by Nadia’s performances during the Montreal Olympics, which she watched on TV as a kid. With her dark hair, big eyes, signature bangs, high ponytail, and the toned physique of an athlete, Nadia completely mesmerized Valerie. From that day, Valerie threw herself into gymnastics every Thursday at school. She even dreamed of joining a gymnastics camp in Romania, where Nadia coached, but her parents vetoed the idea. Eventually, Valerie gave up her dream of becoming a gymnast.

Fast-forward to 2001, and Valerie learned that Nadia and Bart ran their gymnastics academy in Oklahoma. Determined to take photos there, she visited the academy and met a young girl named Courtney. Among all the kids practicing, Courtney stood out to Valerie in a way that felt oddly familiar, like the feelings Nadia had once stirred in her.

Known for her work in magazines like NYLON and BabyBabyBaby, Valerie Phillips has often focused her early photobooks on teenage girls navigating the delicate balance between childhood and adulthood. This photobook captures the life of 12-year-old Courtney, who was training to become an Olympic gymnast. It’s an intimate documentary of her lifestyle, blending the serious expressions she wore during practice with the relaxed moments of her private life. The natural bond between photographer and subject keeps the images engaging, and the vibrant colors of Courtney’s leotards add a visual punch to the composition.

This photobook beautifully freezes the fleeting mix of uncertainty, innocence, and the occasional flashes of adult-like determination that characterize pre-teen years. One standout shot is the final photo of Courtney’s back—her posture exuding a bold sense of willpower, a glimpse of her growth and maturity. It’s a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of this phase of life.

The title “ONE MORE MINUTE~” comes from Courtney’s habit of saying this every morning when she struggled to wake up. But it also reflects Valerie’s own struggle to keep up with the rapid changes in a young girl stepping into adulthood—capturing those fleeting, transformative moments before they disappear forever.

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