5 Leadership Lessons from the

Film Coach Carter

As many of you will know, two of
my biggest passions are sports
and leadership, so whenever I get
something that mixes the two I am
doubly happy.
Today I watched the movie Coach Carter, not the first time I have seen it, but I do
love this film, it has some great leadership lessons and also some great basketball.

Leadership is not a popularity

contest.
As leaders one of our roles is to drive change and improvements, often this
involves changing culture. People are often resistant to this type of change, and as
we look to push through our ideas it can make us unpopular. But we need to hold
the course, we should never look to shirk the task or dilute what we are looking to
achieve just to be popular.
In the film Coach Carter wanted to make a change to the lives of the people on the
basketball team and believed he knew the best approach to do this. Initially this
didn’t make him popular with the players as he demanded that they sign contracts
about their behaviour as players, students, and as men. But he knew this was in
their best interests and in the end they would thank him.

We have to push people out of

their comfort zone
To drive people to the next level we need them to get out of their comfort zones.
When people stay in their comfort zones we maintain the status quo.
In the film the team had the talent, but they lacked the fitness to best utilise that
talent.
By significantly increasing their fitness they improved on a record of 4 wins and
20 losses, in the previous season, to almost remaining unbeaten the following
season. This required them to train harder than they had ever trained before, to
leave their old comfort zones and create new ones.

People can achieve so much more

if we can create the right belief
As leaders we have to help people achieve their full potential, even when they don’t
see their potential. We have to create the desire, set the goals, show the way and
then help create the belief in the team that they can achieve it these goals, and
then support them on that journey.
Coach Carter believed that with the right schooling his players would be able to
leverage their basketball talents to gain scholarships to go to college. This would
give his player a chance of a better life. He had to create that desire, show what
they could be, and then how they could achieve it.

Leaders have to make a stand

Leadership can often require us to take a stand, to back our beliefs even in the face
of mounting criticism, even though we might be in the minority. We have to stand
up for our beliefs, be true to our values. Leadership was never meant to be easy,
and often it requires the courage of our convictions to see it through.
Coach Carter believes that his players are student athletes, with the emphasis on
student first. So when his students fail to meet the academic levels they have
agreed to, he cancels basketball practice and games until they meet the required
level. This creates a conflict between him the players, their parents and the school
board, but even still he stands his ground, committed to what he believes.

The power of team work

As Michael Jordan says ‘ talent wins games, but team work wins championships‘
and as leaders we need to increase teamwork and foster a strong team spirit to
really achieve our collective potential. We need the better players to help coach the
other players to make them better, rather than just letting them rely on the skills
of the better players.
 This really comes through in the film when at the end because of their strong team
spirit the team works collectively to help ensure that everyone reaches the same
educational level, with the stronger students coaching those in need of help, with
the result that everyone in the team achieves the desired educational level, which
will give them a chance of a college place.
What’s interesting is that the teamwork and team spirit transcends sport into
other areas such as education. It would be obvious to see players coaching other
players on basketball but to see them helping each other with studies shows the
power that we have in teams.
If you haven’t seen this film I can full recommend it, I think its very inspirational,
and also shows the impact that leaders can have on their teams with the right
belief and the right determination.
Even more impressive it’s based on a true story.

powerful leadership lessons from Coach Carter

 Set clear expectations. At their first meeting, Carter hands each student a contract, setting
out his expectations. ...
 Have difficult conversations. When his team members fail to honour their contracts, their
coach isn't afraid to take action. ...
 Stand up for what you believe. ...
 Encourage a team ethic.
oach Carter is a 2005 drama film released by Paramount Pictures, and directed by Thomas
Carter. The movie is based on a true story, in which Richmond High School (California, USA)
head basketball coach Ken Carter, became famous in 1999 for benching his undefeated team
due to poor academic results.

At the beginning of the movie, Coach Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) takes a part-time, low-paid job
coaching the basketball team at his old high school, Richmond, California. At the start, the boys,
non well educated and in a rebellion path, are unruly and disrespectful. Their team lost almost all
of their games the previous season.

When Coach Carter arrives, he sets strict new rules for them. They have to maintain a 2.3 grade
point average (C+), they have to attend classes and sit in the front row, they have to wear
jackets and ties on game days. One of the boys, Cruz, walks out of practice on the first day after
an altercation with Carter. We later see Cruz hanging with his older, drug-dealer cousin.

Under Carter’s leadership, the team starts playing well and winning games. Carter’s son,
Damien, a brilliant student who attends private school, quits it and transfers to Richmond High
School to play basketball on his dad’s team.

Another player, Kenyon, has a pregnant girlfriend, Kyra who has given up on her plans for
college in favor of having the baby.

Cruz, seeing his mates winning games and have fun, wants to return to the team. But Carter
doesn’t want him back and challenge him to do a huge number of efforts and pushups in a week.
As it was predictable, he doesn’t succeed but his team-mates impress the coach by offering to
do the rest of the suicides and pushups for Cruz.

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Although the boys are winning games, Carter realizes that they are developing a bad attitude,
they are becoming arrogant and taunt the other teams. Moreover, many of them don’t fulfill his
academic requirements (attending class and maintaining a 2.3 average).

In order to return to a normal situation, Carter lock them out of the gym. He cancels basketball
practices and makes the team spend the practice time in the library, being tutored by some of
their teachers.

This leads to a conflict with the parents and the school board; the board votes 4-2 to end the
lockout. Carter is about to quit, but when he arrives at the gym to pack up his stuff, he finds the
boys sitting at school desks, with their teachers tutoring them there. Heartened by this, Carter
decides to stay.

Cruz has gone back to working for his drug-dealing cousin. One night, the cousin is gunned
down on the street just in front of him. Fortunately, Cruz ends up at Carter’s house that night;
Carter brings him into his house, lets him back on the team, and pretty much saves him from a
future as his cousin’s.
Kenyon gets a full scholarship to college. He goes to his girlfriend, with whom he’s been on the
outs, and tells her the college even wants to help them, as married students with a baby. She
tells him that she chose to abort the pregnancy. They do get back together, though.

The big climactic game takes place at the state tournament, against St. Francis. The team is
disappointed by the loss, but Carter gives them a really good talk about all they have
accomplished, and tells them that this loss doesn’t take that away.

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Over the closing song, titles onscreen tell us that six of the players went on to college (this was a
school at which only about 50% of students graduated, and a very small percentage usually
went to college). Kenyon, Junior, Worm and Cruz were among those who went to college, and at
least Kenyon and Cruz graduated from college. When he graduated three years later, Damien
got a scholarship to West Point.

Main roles

The actors perfectly represent American teens. There is the funny character, always making
jokes and showing off, Jaron ‘Worm’ Willis (Antwon Tanner), the white kid, Jason Lyle (Channing
Tatum), and the coach’s own son, Damien Carter (Robert Richard). There is also the teenager in
trouble, Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez), whose involvement with drugs and gangs serves as the
example of what the teens are striving to avoid.

But the main actor in Coach Carter who makes an impact is Kenyon Stone, played by Rob
Brown, whose natural talent is to seem as if he is not acting at all. Brown is involved in the films’
most controversial subplot, a high school pregnancy with Kyra (the pop-star Ashanti).

Leadership Analysis

Scene 1 : Coach Carter arrival (9′ m)

The new coach of the Richmond basketball team made its arrival in front of the players who
totally lack of discipline and have a very arrogant behaviour. Ken Carter replaces a coach
nearing retirement and was visibly overtaken by events. This former coach failed into managing
the teenagers due to a lack of authority to deal with players who had decided to do what they
want. Mister Carter will first attempt to inculcate moral values in his group of players. Respect is
one of those, he asked his players to contact him using the term “Mister”, he will also do that in
return to its players. To teach about respect a win win involvement is setted based on
reciprocity.

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Coach Carter will thereafter establish the rules of its basketball team. It will provide each team
member a contract stipulating the life rules in the group (delays, forms of politeness etc.) Their
obligations as students (grades, attendance in class, positioning in the classroom), and wearing
a tie on the match days to show everyone that play in this team have to be seen as an honour to
fulfil.

The players, not satisfied with the terms of the contract were invited to leave the gym. The two
best markers of the previous year consequently, leave the gym.

One of those who left the gym, try to hit Coach Carter and he threats him even verbally. One of
the fundamental principles Coach Carter takes its importance: the success of a team is a group
rather than individual performances, the coach is not concerned by the departure of these two
players, and advocates Working as a key factor for success. For him “the two best markers have
left, there will be two new best markers this year,” it does not bend to the whims of these false
stars, and wants to show at the same time that he is the boss on the gym.

Last season the Richmond team lost 22 games for only 4 wins, with no particular inquietudes
from the Richmond players, the team members are not all aware of the work required to reach
the summits. Coach Carter after observing the team previously saw the weaknesses of their
strategy: the physical condition of players is not optimal. It will make run hundreds of miles to his
players.

In accordance with Rosalynn Carter “a great leader take people where they not necessarily want
to go but where they ought to be”, that is why coach Carter expects the team lead at the top of
the regional championship while the players were far for recognizing their potential.

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Coach Carter uses effective leadership; it has its own ideas, motivation and unwavering desire
to do things differently from its predecessors.

Although Basketball is his passion, Coach Carter knows being a good player is not a life
accomplishment; his players must be exemplary in the field but also off the field, something that
had not been understood by most of his players. That is why he decided to implement the
contract; he will try to fulfill it at all costs even if some will not be agree with his methods.

Scene 2 : Meeting with parents (20′ m)

Coach Carter decided to communicate his methods among parents of players. Most of them
refused the terms of this contract, arguing that “basketball is the life of their son.” It is precisely
on this point that the coach wants Carter to intervene. This period in the Richmond must be one
step in the lives of players and not be a guarantee for their social success.

The objective of Coach Carter is of course to win games but above all to maximize the
integration of its players in famous universities and even obtain a scholarship. This idea of going
to university seems absurd for some parents who do not believe enough in their children’s
intellectual capacities of.
Coach Carter is determined to show them the contrary, that’s why the high average to reach for
each member of the team. Coach Carter also wishes to remind parents that their children are
“student-athletes” and therefore students, before being athlete.

Scene 3 : Contracts signing (22′ m)

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The Ken Carter’s son had previously refused to integrate his son to the Richmond school. He
had the sensation that his son had no real personal ambitions and wanted to just follow his
father. But at their second interview, the Coach Carter’s set the limit much higher than those set
by his father to members of its basketball team. Coach Carter brings his son to its
responsibilities and accepts his choice; he will join the basketball team of Richmond. This
reaction from Coach Carter in terms of leardership aims at showing the good respact of the rules
for everyone even if it concerns its own son.

During his first training Carter’s arrived with a few minutes late, while members of the team
believed he would receive more favorable treatment than that stipulated by the contract, coach
Carter applied the same treatment that to any other member of the team, a huge series of push-
ups and many “suicides”. Such behavior has led to all team members on an equal footing and
sticked to the respect requirements explained before.

One of the main qualities of a leader is to do fair things ; treating his son like any other member
of the team belong to these fair things.

A leader must be honest, to be respected within his group and be listened but also and above all
understood.

Scene 4 : Cruz Return (33′ m)

After the first victory of the Richmond team, Cruz one of the last year best markers expressed
his desire to reintegrate the team. Coach Carter does not refuse his return but makes it difficult
putting the limit very high for him in order to make him understand the lack of respect he had for
the coach and all the team members.

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As a leader Coach Carter wants to go further in his reponsability and instead of threaten Cruz he
wants to educate him making him understand his former mistake and the cost of it. Indeed Cruz
tried to hit the coach in his first intervention; Coach Carter has therefore put a test up to his past
behavior.

Cruz had been used to be one of the stars of his team; he will need this time to comply with the
requirements of the coach if he wants to rejoin his team. Cruz began to realize that the values
settled by Coach Carter are good despite the difficulty of the task he must accomplish. Coach
Carter intends to use this event to make his players understand that any act has its
consequences, and that a man must manage the consequences of his actions. He also hoped at
the same time to bind members of its teams together.

Scene 5 : Meeting with the Director (40′ m)

Following the first positive results of his team, Coach Carter decided to meet the director. The
goal of the day is not the results of the team but the members’ class results. Indeed, the director
had not taken seriously the claims of Coach in terms of academic performance of Basketball
team members. She thought it was simply a method of intimidation against the players, so the
director had sent no report to the Coach.

Coach Carter has the intention of going after his ideas and reiterates its request for evaluation
reports on his players.

Coach Carter is satisfied with the results achieved by its sports players, without forgetting the
real reasons for coming to Richmond school. He is determined to change the lives of its
Basketball players and especially in human terms.

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Scene 6 : Cruz’s sanction (42′ m)

In this scene, Coach Carter first congratulates Cruz for the work he has accomplished but
refuses to reinstate him in the team as he has not completely achieved the goals set.

The coach respects here two essential elements for a good leadership and in order to maintain
his credibility and the respect he has created in his gym: congratulation and management by
objectives.

The initial objectives set by the coach to Cruz were: 2500 push-ups and 1000 suicides to carry
out before the end of the week (which corresponded a priori to what the team made since they
were left apart by Cruz, we will see later to this Objectives).

Cruz does not meet his targets for 80 suicides and 500 push-ups.

At this point of the movie, Coach Carter faces a « fair dilemma ». Actually, he has to be fair (as
being fair is one of the major quality for a good leader), but at this moment what can be
considered as fair?

His decision deals with the agreement or the refusal to reinstate Cruz in the team.

Indeed, he had set to Cruz, goals that may seem excessive but fair vis-à-vis other players who
had endured the same thing since Cruz had abandoned.
Setting less ambitious goals could have appeared unfair vis-à-vis the entire team, which would
be a situation that Coach Carter could not accept.

Logically, as Cruz did not complete his contract, Coach Carter cannot agree to reintegrate him
into the team.

The coach’s decision is to keep to his course of action, i.e refusing Cruz who failed his contract.
Maybe this decision is tough but it is fair vis-à-vis the rest of the team and it emphasises the
discipline of the leader.

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In a way we can consider that the coach is supported by his team since they decide to help Cruz
finishing his sanction, what Coach Carter accepts, glad to see the team cohesion improved and
involved.

The question that can be also asked is : Does Coach Carter would have definitely refused Cruz’s
return? Or did he act in the hope of a team’s response to their teammate in trouble?

Scene 7 : Respecting the opponent (47′ m)

In this scene, the coach starts imitating the behaviour that players had during the previous match
when they humiliated their opponents after points scored.

Therefore the coach congratulates himself during the training for each basket scored by the
team.

This exaggerated behaviour allows him to show how ridiculous they seemed.

He shows to the team the attitude they had before towards their opponent and says that by
acting like this, they distort the spirit of sport and the Richmond values.

It may be noted that the coach creates this awareness by questioning the players (example:
What gives you the right to …, etc.). Using this technique, he encourages players asking
themselves questions and stepping into a process of reflection, which is much more effective
than if he had just made a long speech, for which they perhaps would have not felt concerned.
Actually in doing so, he allows them to identify the problems they have and so to arrive to
resolve it thereafter.

Finally, in order they keep in mind their bad behaviours, he punishes everyone with 500 push-
ups…

This admonition is especially to teach the players some fundamental values : here, the respect.
The coach’s vision of the team requires that players are more than mere basketball players but
real men, able to act as such and it is towards this objective he wants to lead them.

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Scene 8 : Checking commitment (49′ m)

At the beginning of the scene, as earlier, Coach Carter tries to instil respect to players after one
of them used the word “nigger” talking about Junior Battle. The coach forbids them to use that
word in his presence and explains his position, trying also to sensibilize the players as most of
them are African Americans.

In order to be sure that this “lesson” is well understood, he encourages everyone to validate that
they will not use that word in his presence.

Once this parenthesis closed, he encourages players to wonder about their future, he wants to
give them a vision of themselves in the future in order to have objectives, a dream “You have to
have a vision”.

After learning that the Lyle’s father is in prison, he asked about their basketball expectations and
their life expectations.

If he makes them wonder about their expectations it is to tell them he thinks they can go to
college, taking advantage of a scholarship by providing efforts in classroom. In the same way, as
a leader, Coach Carter is requesting his players’ opinion which obviously shows interest for and
from the players.

Interviewing them about their visions of themselves in the future, Battle answers: “I want to be on
ESPN”. At this point, Coach Carter hands him in front of his responsibilities by suspending him
for non-compliance with his contract and in particular his lack of presence in classroom, and
warned he would not reinstate him if he does not fulfil his contract. Carter suspends Battle
despite the fact that he is one of the best players, but this suspension is seen as an example
(and may be a threat) for other players.

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Finally, while Battle is leaving the gym refusing to do the requested push-ups, he referred him to
the choice he is making by leaving his partners, with the aim of bringing him to reflect.

Scene 9 : Making exceptions (57′ m)

This scene begins with the Junior Battle’s mother arrival in the Coach Carter’s shop. The mother
comes to announce Carter that a coach from the University of Sacramento will come to the next
game in order to see his son playing. The coach reminds that Junior has violated the contract
rules and so that he will not play the next game.

The mother explains why she wants Junior to play, hoping he can go to college and thus escape
the violence of the life he had for the moment.
Carter then thanks Ms. Battle for her confidence but specifies that it is Junior who had to explain
that.

So, Junior enters in the store, apologizes and promises to return to class.

Coach carter asks Junior to look at him in the eyes and explain that he thinks he is making a
mistake accepting him to reintegrate the team.

Finally, Coach Carter accepts the Junior’s come back after having punished him with 1000 push-
ups and 1000 suicides.

This scene is particularly important as coach Carter accepts the Junior’s come back although the
player had not respect the rules. Here Carter appears just like a man, he thinks he is maybe
making a mistake but take that risk for the future and the well of one of his player. As a leader,
and contrary to the rules Coach Carter had always sticked to, this scene makes appear a new
determinant in Carter’s leadership : the ability to making exceptions if it is sensible and worthy.

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Scene 10 : Meeting in the library (1′ 22′ m)

In the library and in front of all the players, the coach takes stock of their school performance.

Coach Carter begins by giving them a sense of responsibility for the failure but quickly
apologizes and includes himself in this defeat.

Then he takes the most radical decision to solve the problem: the gym lockout.

He also wants to strengthen the team by forcing everyone to work, the bests help those who
have difficulties.

Thereafter, the coach maintains his position and comes into conflict with his hierarchy. This
scene is a crucial breaking point of the movie, the point where even the Coach, the leader, can
recognize a mistake and stand against a higher authority.

Scene 11 : Meeting following the lockout (1′ 27′ min)

Still in the library, while the lockout is becoming increasingly serious, the coach gives details of
his position to the players who believe that he acts in order to highlight himself.

He then gives results about students’ fate at Richmond : only 6% go to college and 33% of
African Americans go to prison.

He also leads them to get involved by asking them to watch their classmates, watch their lives
and of their parents’ ones.
Finally, the coach asks them to wonder if they want to do better and give them appointments the
next day if the answer is yes. He also involved himself promising to do everything he can do in
order they go to college and have a better life.

Once again the coach tries to imply them in order to be sure that they share the vision he has for
them. He wants them to join this vision to continue to move forward. If players do not agree with
this vision they would reach no results. The way the Coach is asking for making a decision is
very inspired by leadership in the way he creates an ultimatum. The players have the choice, it is
up to them to come back or not. There is no physical or moral constraint, only the desire of
getting involved in their empowerment or not.

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Scene 12 : Altercation (1′ 33′ m)

While the coach is quietly in his car speaking with his son, who is also a player of his team, he is
taken left by two persons.

One of him asks to the coach to dim his window to talk to him. It is there that he acts in a virulent
way because he asks him to let the players of Richmond take back the road of the gym by
spitting him above through the window.

At this moment, the coach loses his self-control and goes out violently from the car. He asks to
the aggressor to go out also of the car so that they can discuss it man to man while manhandling
this last one remained sat in the car.

Watching it, his son quickly goes out of the car to calm the spirits and especially his father who
becomes the opposite of what he always taught him as father and as coach of basketball. The
other car takes advantage of it to leave while the son reasons his father with his own educations.
During this episode, the coach lost his leader’s status for the benefit of his son who better knew
managed the situation by considering what his father inculcated him. His mistake had to be too
much influenced by emotions and anger. A good leader has to be in control of his emotions.

Scene 13 : Meeting with the council (1′ 39′ m)

The council evokes that the state requires a balanced cumulative average of 2 points for the
students making activities extracurricular. With the new coach arrival, this average is of 2.3 as
well as the other conditions (attend classes, sit in the first row of their class and carry a tie in the
daytime of match). Once he puts in the light, the council asks when he planned to end up this
lockout and allow the return of trainings and championship. For any answer, the coach under the
indignation of all the assistance of the room explained that there would be no basketball as long
as the team does not manage to honour the clause concerning the average of 2.3.

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Find out more
In front of general uprising the board of directors of the school leaves the word to people of the
assistance:

A professor considers inappropriate since the coach asks him for reports on these players
pleading a working surplus and a negative broadcasting on his work. He declares himself
against this lockout.

A player’s mother regrets the abandon of the team in front of Freemont a rival team (the match
being considered as the most mattering of the year) and at the same moment the recruiters were
not able to come to see his son playing what is an opportunity for him to obtain a stock grant to
be able to go to university.

The player’s uncle explains that only one matter which makes his nephew come to the school, is
the basketball and without this sport bad things could be happen to him.

Mr Walters, one player’s father, asks that we remove the law for the coach Carter in order to end
up the lockout under the anxiety of the players to lose their coach.

In front of this announcement the coach reacts by explaining that he tries to inculcate to these
players that they are not above the laws and that they will have to face the choices which are
going to govern their life. If the council votes against this lockout, he would resign not being in
agreement with the message which he tried to give to his players. Indeed he tries to inculcate in
them at the same time as he teaches them to play basketball fundamental values which will
allow them to make the good choices and not to go to the ease (follow the delinquent style of
behaving, common in the area).

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The members voted in 4 voices against 2 for the end of this last one, so allowing the return of
the players of Richmond in the championship.

Scene 14 : The surprise (1 Hour 44)

Further to the announcement of the end of the lockout, Coach Carter goes to the school to get
back its affairs. When he was out of the car, the manager of the school who had voted in favour
of the lockout comes to see him asking him to think about his resignation, what the coach
answered to, that he could not stay seing these values were different from what the board of
directors of the school had wanted to make cross to these players. We can say that he felt
disoriented and that he did not manage to accept it.

However he had the surprise by going into the gymnasium to see these players who believed in
their leader.

Indeed they had installed on the ground of basketball of tables and chairs and they were working
to reach an average of 2.3 in spite of what had been able to say the board of directors of the
school. They had decided to the end what their coach had begun judging that it was the best
thing they had to do. At this point, the leader mission succeeded, and is unanimously recognized
by the members.

Scene 15 : The consecration (2 Hour 08)

Once the last game ended, the coach comes to see his players in changing rooms to express
them his enjoyment. Indeed, despite their defeat, they gave the maximum of themselves, even
playing as true champions and knew how to keep head up. They knew how to keep in memory
all the education of their coach without ever proving unworthy.

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He explains them that he had come at the beginning teach players of basketball and that they
became students, to teach boys and that they became men. That is why he thanks them
because even if he is the leader he learnt with them in the same way as they learnt with him.

The movie and this scene ends up with the message of reciprocity of the leadership and gives a
feedback on the results of his leading management.

Conclusion

“Coach Carter” is about how one man was able to find a way to reach into the hearts and minds
of children and turn them into adults, learning them how to behave to be a winner on and off the
court. With his imposing presence, powerful voice, and willingness to allow the teams’ best
players to quit if they will not follow the rules, Coach Carter knows how to take control and
influence people.

It is also about teaching all of us that perhaps the single greatest fear we all have is success, not
failure. Failure is easy and comfortable. Success is scary.

A fair amount of detail, including teenage pregnancy, dilapidated housing and gang warfare, also
elevate this above the usual athletic film.

It also reveals the weaknesses of the American educational system, which does not give
everyone the same chance to have a successful professional life. Indeed, in this film, on top of
the fact that students have big educational difficulties, parents and school officials are more
concerned with winning basketball games than making sure the players graduate.

What makes this story so much more interesting and intelligent than most movies of its genre is
the serious way it treats its academic storyline. Yes, the basketball scenes are well shot, but the
impressive part is the seriousness of its true subject, the importance of an education.