PEACELOVEBASKETBALL: 3 Must Watch Basketball Movies
I’m a sucker for a great basketball movie and here are three that you’ve got to watch. When I was a high school coach I would always have a “movie night” and show one of these three movies to the team. Each is based on an inspiring and thought provoking true story.
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. Watch the movie tonight and find out what happens!
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 & HERE)
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 […]
PEN TO PAPER: Perspective
Today’s writing prompt plays with point of view and how that can totally change one’s perspective of a scene.
WRITING PROMPT: Imagine a bus stop. There is a woman and a man standing at the location who don’t know one another and seem to have nothing in common. Write for a few minutes from each person’s point of view. In your writing describe the bus stop and have each person think about, or talk to, the other person at some point. Discover how the scene changes with point of view.
LIFE INSPIRED FITNESS: It’s Not All About The View
Recently my daughter Charli hiked 奇莱南華(Qilai Nanhua), one of Taiwan’s highest peaks. It is know for it’s stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the “Golden Sea” that happens when the sun rises and touches swathes of grass that line the peak. When Charli summited, she got thick damp fog and freezing cold 50 mph winds, still, she will tell you the 30 miles and the 11,000 feet of elevation gain were worth it. It’s not all about the view, read Charli’s blog post and learn why.
PEN TO PAPER: Remember Me
How do you see yourself? How do others see you? If the people you care about couldn’t remember you, how would you describe yourself to them?
WRITING PROMPT 1: None of your family, or friends, remember you. Describe yourself to them.
WRITING PROMPT 2: Amelia couldn’t remember…
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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PEN TO PAPER: A New Normal
Since Covid, life has been quite different for most of us. Many have lost family and friends, or had them fall deathly ill. Many of us have spent a lot of time at home and sequestered from much of the world. But now as the majority of the population begins to get vaccinated and Covid case numbers decline, what does it feel like for you as life returns to a new normal?
I know I’m happy to get out and see more people, but I am still hesitant when I go into a store where people are not wearing masks. I have close family and friends who are vulnerable and ones who could be negatively effected by a positive test, even if they don’t get sick. (Think of athletes who have missed out on games, matches and money after testing positive). Covid is still around, and though I’m vaccinated, I feel like […]
PEN TO PAPER: How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything?
My husband loves the quote, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I don’t always agree. I know that when there is something that I care about I put more effort toward it. When I was coaching I was all in, worked to be the very best I could be at my job, but then I’ll admit, other parts of my life suffered a bit. I was once a perfectionist. I even used to rewrite my math homework. Though it might not be for the best, I have learned to let some things go. I just can’t keep up. There is no way that I could do everything the way that I would like it to be done, because I also like to do too many things.
How about you?
WRITING PROMPT #1: Put “How you do anything is how you do everything” at the top of the page or […]
PEN TO PAPER: Memorial Day
WRITING PROMPT #1: What does Memorial Day mean to you?
WRITING PROMPT #2: What does the American Flag mean to you?
WRITING PROMPT #3: Collin looked up at the flag and…
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