I’m a sucker for a great basketball movie. As a high school coach, I had “movie night” each season so that the team could bond over an inspiring sports story. Here are four oldies but goodies that are inspired by true stories. Powerful movies that you’ve got to watch.
In 1965, Texas Western Coach Don Haskins recruits a team based on talent rather than race, and even though the team is winning, the conservative community is upset about it. Learn more about Texas Western’s challenges on the way to the NCAA Tournament in this powerful movie based on a true story.
Believe in Me is the story of a girl’s basketball team in a small Oklahoma community during the mid-1960’s who want to play basketball just as much as the boys do. The movie, based on the book, Brief Garland: The True Story of coach Jim Keith, delves into the inequalities in girls sports pre-Title IX and tells the story of the coach, and the young women, who work for the chance to play the game they love. (BTW: In the movie the girl’s play five-on-five, but during that time in history girl’s played a six-on-six half-court game, some states still played the half-court game up until the early 1990’s. Learn more about the history of women’s basketball HERE)
In 1972, Coach Cathy Rush wanted to make a difference at Immaculata College but she ended up making history. Starting with no budget, no uniforms and no gym, she and eleven young women worked to dominate bigger and better-funded schools on their way to compete in the first-ever national women’s college basketball championship. Watch the movie and cheer for the legendary Mighty Macs on their road to the championship.
Coach Carter is the true story of Ken Carter who made headlines for his emphasis on the importance of academics over athletics. I don’t want to ruin the movie if you haven’t seen it, but he even benches his entire team and locks them out of the gym to prove his point. As you can imagine, the athletes and the community are not happy about it. Check it out and see what happens.
The next time you are looking for a movie to watch, or just want to be inspired, give one of these at try. Better yet watch all of them in a basketball movie marathon!
