5 More Inspirational Sports Movies And Their Lessons
Based on true stories, these films made a real impact on me.
ICYMI, last month I wrote about my favorite sports movies that feature underdogs and upsets, and the overarching lessons we can apply into our own lives.
Shocker, I know, but I was able to find a few more to add to the list. In this edition, we have themes of leadership in the face of adversity, dealing with the immense pressure of expectations, coming together after tragedy, and more.
Here are five more of my favorite sports films and the lasting lessons from them. See which you can put into practice.
Friday Night Lights
Many sports movies have a happy ending. FNL came out in 2004, so hopefully you’ve seen it and I don’t want to spoil the ending, but it doesn’t quite go the way you think. In the first game of the season, the Permian Panthers experience a devastating injury to star player Boobie Miles, leaving head coach Gary Gaines, played by Billy Bob Thornton, searching for a way to rally his players to pick up the pieces. I love the realism this movie shows, both in the way it’s filmed but also how the humanly flawed characters interact with each other and come to terms with their strengths and weaknesses.
Lessons: Fighting through adversity is a skill. No journey toward a goal is a straight line. There will be setbacks; it’s how you respond to them that matters. Teams don’t win every game, just like we won’t “win” every meeting, project, or sales call in life. But even in failure, we grow and learn and improve.
And an amazing final locker room speech!
Coach Carter
Based on real events and people from 1999, this 2005 film stars Samuel L. Jackson as the titler character, who is charged with turning around the Richmond High School basketball team. Jackson wins over the community for building a winning team, but loses it when he punishes his players for poor academics and breaking their “contract” with him. That’s when things get interesting. As a fan of inspirational quotes, I particularly love the scene where the player Timo Cruz recites the famous “our deepest fear” quote from Marianne Williamson. Gives me goosebumps every time. WIth the transfer portal and NIL now in college sports, the term “student-athlete” is getting lost, in my opinion, so it’s nice to see a true focus on both as shown in the movie.
Lessons: When attempting to instill a new culture, be ready to face the backlash of those who aren’t ready for change. Be mentally and emotionally strong enough to stick to your truth. Don’t be confrontational with haters; be intentional and remember your purpose. Show them the reasons why the change is needed.
We Are Marshall
The unthinkable happened when 75 players, coaches, and donors of the Marshall Thundering Herd football team were killed in a plane crash in 1970. How do a program, university, and town deal with such devastation? Matthew McConaughey plays coach Jack Lengyel, the man who attempts to honor those who perished by rebuilding the Marshall football team. As one can imagine, though, there are countless complex emotional elements at play and it’s not all smooth sailing in the process of healing. It’s definitely the social and emotional components in this film, rather than the football scenes, that hook me in. I especially love the scene with legendary coach Bobby Bowden at West Virginia, allowing the Marshall coaches to review their tapes and honoring the lost players and coaches.
Lessons: Life is full of surprises and unfair situations that can’t be explained. When grieving, it’s natural to want to shut down and/or lash out. Find the strength to accept the situation and move forward with honor and respect. If you can help, do. If you can’t, get out of the way. And never give up!
Rudy
Ok, one more underdog movie, because who doesn’t love cheering for the little guy? As a Michigan alum, it’s tough for me to root for Notre Dame in real life, but the story in this film makes it easy to get on board. Despite not a single person thinking he can make the Fighting Irish football team, Rudy (in an iconic performance by Sean Astin) never gives up hope—but gives plenty of blood, sweat, and tears along the way. The movie is so popular that referring to someone or something as “Rudy” has become synonymous with overachieving and exceeding people’s expectations.
Lessons: Belief in yourself is a powerful, powerful concept. If you have a dream, do everything in your power to make it happen, and don’t let anybody stop you. Hard work pays off. “Sometimes a winner is a dreamer who just won’t quit.”
The Fifth Quarter
As a Wake Forest family man (both of my daughters and my son-in-law graduate from the university), of course this film is close to my heart. Taking place in 2006, Demon Deacon football player Jon Abbate dedicates the coming season to the memory of his younger brother Luke who passed away in a car crash. Jon rides a wave of emotions but ultimately stays strong for his family and motivates his teammates to play incredible football. Warning: big time cry alert!
Lessons: It may be hard to see or believe, but it is possible to turn tragedy into triumph. Family and community support are huge in times of despair. We should never take life for granted. Find something bigger than yourself to drive you toward your purpose.
With these five movies plus the seven from my previous post, we have a pretty comprehensive list, but I know there are still some out there I’m missing. Feel free to email me your favorite at Rich@RichLyons.com and I’ll add it to my watch list.
As a teaser for my next subject, I’m circling a blog on the most inspirational movie speeches.
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