Coach Carter

Coach Carter is based on a true story of an inner-city high school basketball team that only won four games the year previous to getting a new coach. Coach Carter comes in and changes the atmosphere of the team, trying to teach life lessons and change the mindsets of his players into student-athletes. He prepares them for the future through a bumpy road to success.


Release Year: 2005 Rating: PG-13
Length: 136m


For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

• Commitment: This theme is depicted in the beginning when Coach Carter explains his rules to the team; they are not to use the word "n***a", must maintain a 2.3 GPA (even though the state only requires a 2.0), go to and sit in the front of all classes, and stick to a dress code. Coach says they will refer to each other as "sirs" and sign a contract to follow the rules if they want to play. They are required to make a serious commitment to the team.
• Teamwork: In the beginning, after Timo Cruz gets kicked off the team he asks, "What do I gotta do to play?" Coach gives him the impossible task of completing 2500 pushups and 1000 suicides by Friday. When faced with failing, the team joins together in through teamwork and helps him finish the task. Lyle says "remember what you said coach, if one struggles then we all struggle, if one triumphs then we all triumph."
• Sportsmanship: In the middle of the movie during a practice, Coach Carter says "That's me, I did that, I drew that play up." Here sportsmanship is depicted when Coach says, "since when is winning not enough? Now you have to humiliate your opponent? You won four games last year, what gives you the right to ruin the game I love? Play with class and act like a champion."
• Education: At one point towards the end of the movie, Coach Carter notices that his athletes aren't putting student first so he locks the gym. He says that Richmond High School only graduates 50% and only 6% of students go on to college. He demands they get their grades up and forfeits games until they do. Education is the theme when he tells the boys to go home and "ask yourself, do you want better for your life?" He feels that school should be the highlight of their life, not basketball.
• Life Skills: Coach Carter's theme in the middle of the movie is life skills. At one point he asks Timo Cruz, "what is your deepest fear Mr. Cruz, that you're inadequate?" He later gets a response that Timo has learned from his experiences that proves to Coach Carter that Timo is learning life lessons. Coach also says to the players "what is it that you want out of this season?" at which they say "to win a championship". Coach asks them "who won the championship last year?" and none know the answer. He asks them how they see themselves.

Miracle

Miracle is about a coach, Herb Brooks, who embarks on a mission to assemble the perfect hockey team to beat the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.  The team goes through some initial growing pains, but soon comes together to attempt the seemingly impossible task of beating the best hockey team in the world.  Based on a true story.

Release Year: 2004
Rating: PG
Length: 135m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Commitment: Herb Brooks addresses the team right after the team has been chosen and says, “take a good look gentleman, because they [the ones who did not make the team] are the ones getting off easy.  The final roster will have 20 names on it so more of you are going home."  (15m)

Leadership: Mike Eruzione shows his leadership when he tells Herb Brooks that he plays for the USA after they had been made to skate after an exhibition game in Europe.  Herb Brooks had been asking this question throughout the movie and the players kept giving their college names instead of saying they played for the USA.  (45m)  

Motivation: Herb Brooks uses a variety of motivational tactics throughout the movie.  He tells goaltender Jim Craig that he is thinking of benching him after the exhibition loss to the Soviet Union. (1h 16m)  During an intermission, Herb uses a player's bruised leg  as a way to fire the team up when they are losing by calling him a quitter and to be a hockey player.  Herb knows this will fire the rest of the team up because of how close they are to one another. (1h, 24m)  And finally, he gives his famous speech, starting with, "Great moments...are born from great opportunity." (1h 37m)

Politics:  Opening scenes show the Cold War problems, inflation, and around the Christmas party scene Jimmy Carter gives his famous speech discussing how there was a “question of confidence in America.” (65m)  It shows where the country was at this time and how the hockey game versus the Soviet Union meant everything.

Teamwork: Mike Eruzione and a few other players talk to Herb about bringing in an all-star college player three months before the Olympic Games and tell him that they are a “family” so Herb should send the all-star home even though he is an incredible talent. (61m)

Underdogs: Team USA are the underdogs in the Olympics, but primarily when they face the Soviet Union in the semi-final game, where they beat them.

True Blue

True Blue (also known as Miracle at Oxford) is about the Oxford rowing team's rivalry with Cambridge.  After a tough loss, the team argues over how to band together to come back and win again.

Release Year: 1996
Rating: R
Length: 115m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Without Limits

Without Limits is a biography of Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine.

Release Year: 1998
Rating: PG-13
Length: 117m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

When We Were Kings

When We Were Kings is a documentary about the 1974 heavyweight title bout "Rumble in the Jungle" between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali.

Release Year: 1996
Rating: PG
Length: 89m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Victory

Victory stars soccer legend Pele as he leads a team of prisoners in a soccer game against their German captors during World War II.

Release Year: 1981
Rating: PG
Length: 116m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Youngblood

Youngblood is about a young hockey star with no propensity towards fighting who must try to make it on a minor league team.

Release Year: 1986
Rating: R
Length: 110m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Rudy

Rudy is the story of a kid who is determined to fulfill his dream of playing football for Notre Dame

Release Year: 1993
Rating: PG
Length: 114m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Rocky II

Rocky II continues the story of Rocky, where he receives another chance at the title.

Release Year: 1979
Rating: PG
Length: 119m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Rocky

Rocky is about an underdog boxer who receives a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champion.

Release Year: 1976
Rating: PG
Length: 119m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Remember the Titans

Remember the Titans is the story of a coach who unites a racially diverse football team and takes them to championships.

Release Year: 2000
Length: 113m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Love and Basketball

Love and Basketball is about two teenagers, a boy and a girl, who grow up with basketball and family problems.

Release Year: 2000
Rating: PG-13
Length: 124m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes is a made-for-television movie based on the book about gymnasts and the extreme difficulties they encounter at the upper echelons of competition.  Elite gymnastics results in many sacrifices for all involved, both physically and mentally, but how how much is too much?


Release Year: 1997
Length: 96m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase the book from Amazon.


Aggression: Aggression is depicted in a few ways throughout the movie: both in the parent-to-parent relationships with one another while viewing their daughters and in the coaching style with the athletes.

Anxiety: The coach tries to put them under constent anxiety so they will cope better with it, and some handle it better than others. The girls are constantly reminded of who is at the top and that if they are there, they may not be remain for long.

Commitment: The girls are reminded on a regular basis about how much effort that they need to put into their gymnastics to pursue their goal. Parents make a huge commitment to follow their children in their efforts.

Confidence: In one of the last scenes the coach yells at Katie for not attempting the Yurchenko. You can not bail out on skills; you must have the confidence or you will get hurt.

Eating Disorders: Katie reduces the amount she eats. She says that she won't eat her dinner and if she does, she will just throw it up because losing three pounds means gaining a foot in height in her tumbling.

Goal Setting: The coach puts a lot of outcome oriented goals on the athletes: win or else that's it.

Going for your Dream: All the girls hope to make it to the Olympics. They give up much to pursue their dream, including leaving behind their home and family.

Injury: In the end the star athlete has a career ending injury, which in turn leads to the thought that Katie was being pushed too hard.

Keeping Sport in Perspective: When they decide to go home Katie's mother realizes that her job is to be a mother. She does not want Katie to become hurt in order to be win in a sport. Her life is more important.

Parents/Family: In order for Katie to move her entire family must make a sacrifice and do so. However, her relationship with her family is part of the key to her success.

Substance Abuse: The girls put their bodies through so much and in turn suffer pain they must push through. Dana Parker, the star athlete, offers Katie prescription medicine to help her battle through pain.

A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own is the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from the 1940s.

Release Year: 1992
Rating: PG
Length: 128m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Eight Men Out

Eight Men Out chronicles the famous "Black Sox" scandal of 1919 where players were accused of throwing the World Series.

Release Year: 1988
Rating: PG
Length: 119m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Braveheart

Braveheart is the story of William Wallace and Scotland's fight for freedom in the 13^th century.

Release Year: 1995
Rating: R
Length: 177m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is the uplifting story of the Jamaican bobsled team's trip to the 1988 Olympics.

Release Year: 1993
Rating: PG
Length: 98m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Bring It On

Bring It On is about the pressures of maintaining a championship-caliber cheer squad.

Release Year: 2000
Rating: PG-13
Length: 98m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

American Anthem

American Anthem is a story about a gymnast faced with choosing between gymnastics and family responsibilities.

Release Year: 1986
Rating: PG-13
Length: 102m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Breaking Away

Breaking Away is a coming-of-age story about a small townie who had dreams of racing internationally with the best.

Release Year: 1979
Rating: PG
Length: 101m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.