Coach Carter

The movie "Coach Carter" is an inspirational true-life story based on a controversial high school basketball coach who made national news by benching his entire undefeated basketball team for poor academic performance.

The story is an inspirational account because it teaches the value of having discipline in both academics and sports.

As a former successful basketball player of Richmond High School, Coach Ken Carter accepted a position as the basketball coach of Richmond High School to help a struggling basketball team reach its former glory. The only stipulation was that the players needed to maintain an acceptable level of academic performance in order for them to continue to play. At the beginning of the season he outlined the terms and had them sign a performance contract, which was accepted by both the parents and the players.

Halfway through an undefeated season, Coach Carter discovered that some members of the team were not academically performing, so he locked the gym and cancelled the games. This action caused much controversy between the school board, parents, teachers and the players ... and ultimately lead to national media attention.

For Coach Carter, it was a test of his endurance, values, and beliefs because of the intense pressure to re-open the gym. For the players, it was a life lesson in discipline and setting higher standards for themselves.

At the beginning of the film, Coach Carter asked, "What is your fear?" After the team was benched a player defines fear. The sum and substance of the film is eloquently expressed in this one quote that can be applied to how we live our life and define our deepest fears. 
 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

Your playing small does not serve the world; there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you.

We were all meant to shine as children ... it is not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same as we are liberated from our own fear. Our presence automatically liberates others."

- Coach Carter -