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Next Goal Wins

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      In April 2001, Australia and American Samoa met in a qualifying match for the World Cup, which Australia won 31-0 in the most lopsided match in World Cup history. Next Goal Wins picks up 10 years later, when Thomas Rongen is essentially forced to take over coaching the team. Their only goal is for them to score a goal, which hadn't happened since the 31-0 rout. In only a few weeks, Rongen must adjust himself to the culture while preparing the team for their upcoming matches. Released 2023; Runtime 104 minutes Concepts Cultural Differences : Rongen must quickly adjust to life on the island -  but their slow speed limits, religiosity, and laid back approach to life are difficult for him to understand. Sexuality : One of the most prominent characters and captain of the team is Jaiyah , who became the first openly trans woman to compete in a World Cup match. Her non-binary status is initially not accepted by Rongen, but he eventually comes to understand. There is also a momen
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Untold: Johnny Football

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  Untold: Johnny Football chronicles the meteoric rise and meteoric fall of Johnny Manziel , who was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy . His freewheeling playstyle and personality meshed well on and off the field, as he had tremendous success in high school and college while also maintaining an active party life. Simultaneously, Texas A&M had just joined the Southeastern Conference and used Manziel as proof they belonged - and also to make millions of dollars off his name. But once drafted into the National Football League, he could not find that level of success without drastically changing who he was, and was released after only two years in the league. Released 2023; Runtime 70 minutes Concepts Burnout : Once in the NFL , Johnny lost his love of football. He was exhausted from the demands of being an NFL player (notably film study), stopped caring about football, and saw his performance decline, which ultimately led him to self-destruct so that his team would rele
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Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child

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  Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child documents the career (so far) of social media star turned professional boxer Jake Paul . He and his brother Logan Paul , also a social media star, began making videos in high school, which garnered millions of views - and in turn more money than they could have imagined. After brief forays into acting and music, Jake took up boxing and eventually decided to box professionally. His social media talents took the boxing world by storm as his bouts raked in tens of millions of dollars, even as much of the world and boxing establishment doubted his sincerity and ability. Released 2023; Runtime 70 minutes Concepts Media : Jake found success as an internet star via platforms like Vine and YouTube. Because he garnered millions of followers, when he became a pro boxer, he was able to use his built-in audience, tendency to get under people's skins, and penchant for self-promotion to hype his fights and bring attention back to the sport. Underdogs : Beca
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Citizen Ashe

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  Citizen Ashe  is a biography of Arthur Ashe , a professional tennis player turned activist. Ashe was one of the first black professional tennis players and was a trailblazer (along with Althea Gibson ) for other  black people to participate in a sport predominately played by rich white people. But he was not always an activist. This documentary interviews several of his friends and contemporaries, and includes footage of Ashe himself, speaking about his growth both as a tennis player and as an advocate for the rights of black people around the world and for HIV/AIDS awareness. Released 2021; Runtime 94 minutes Concepts Race & Ethnicity Issues : Early in Ashe's career, despite facing racism (particularly in the South, where he was from), he largely shied against calling it out. It was not until he experienced success on the court that he started to feel more comfortable speaking out, but once he began, he did not stop calling it out for the rest of his life. Political Issues :
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King Richard

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King Richard  looks at the upbringing and development of Venus Williams and Serena Williams , largely through focusing on their father, Richard Williams , and the 'plan' that he created for turning them into champions. The movie recounts their early training, attempts to find high-level coaching, the girls' early success once they start competing in junior tournaments, their move to Florida for elite talent development, and finally, Venus Williams' professional debut. Released 2021; Runtime 144 minutes Concepts Parents & Family : The Williams family is very tight-knit, with Venus' and Serena's mother (Oracene) and three other sisters all supporting the plan to develop them into champions. For his part, Richard blurs the line between father and coach, but tries to be each to his daughters. But because Richard is so focused on following his plan, deviations from it are met with resistance and conflict. Career & Economic Issues : A large part of the movie
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Screwball

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Screwball  largely shares the story of  Anthony Bosch and his primary role in the Biogenesis scandal that rocked Major League Baseball in 2013. After obtaining his medical license in Belize, Anthony got into the anti-aging field, which inevitable led him to steroids, human growth hormone, and other drugs. Through happenstance, he started prescribing to weightlifters, and eventually started working with  professional athletes, including baseball players Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, and many others. Eventually, the lab's clientele were leaked to the press and the lab was investigated by the Florida Department of Health and Major League Baseball. Many of the stories are re-enacted with child actors. Released 2018; Runtime 105 minutes Concepts Baseball : The beginning focuses on the  Steroid Era  of baseball and the changes that were implemented in its wake. Once the Biogenesis scandal broke, MLB bribed and threatened witnesses as part of their investigation into it. Dop
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Untold: Caitlyn Jenner

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Untold: Caitlyn Jenner  is a documentary that traces the life of Caitlyn Jenner (born Bruce Jenner). Caitlyn describes her upbringing and how she felt that she never quite fit in, but sports were a way to put those feelings aside. Being "Bruce the athlete" became a refuge for her, but she could never completely ignore who she was, which ultimately culminated in her transitioning in her 60s. Released 2021; Runtime 69 minutes Concepts Gender Issues : Caitlyn describes how she battled gender dysphoria most of her life, which caused her a great deal of inner turmoil and confusion. She felt that she could never open up about those issues, so she turned "Bruce" into a persona that she could absorb herself into to avoid having to confront that confusion. Olympics; Pursuing Your Dream : Early in her career, Caitlyn was obsessed with winning the gold medal in the decathlon at the Olympics. Her single-minded pursuit led her to do just that, winning the gold medal with a worl
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Untold: Breaking Point

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    Untold: Breaking Point  documents the struggle that American tennis player Mardy Fish had with anxiety and mental health. Mardy excelled at a young age, but really blossomed once he began training with fellow American Andy Roddick . During their professional careers, both were under extraordinary pressure to become the future of men's tennis...and then Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic happened. Once Mardy finally became the highest ranked American male player, the pressure was ratcheted up even further, culminating in constant anxiety. Released 2021; Runtime 79 minutes Concepts Anxiety & Stress, Mental Health Issues : Towards the end of his career, Mardy develops an anxiety disorder. He explains how he felt while he was anxious, how he tried to cope with it, and the toll it took on him, as it eventually forced him to retire. He decided to open up about his anxiety disorder to bring awareness to mental health issues in tennis. Commitment : At one point, Mardy decides that he re
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More Mental Toughness Documentaries

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Photo by adpowers on Foter.com Dr. Rob Bell compiled another set of 10 documentaries where mental toughness is on display. The documentaries span a variety of performance domains, from music to running to coaching to 9/11 families and first responders. You are sure to find something both inspiring and informative on the list! Check out his new post here , and if you want more recommendations, his previous list of mental toughness documentaries is still up. And while you're there,  be sure to explore the rest of his website for even more resources and information on developing mental toughness.
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Untold: Malice at the Palace

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     Untold: Malice at the Palace  recounts the infamous 2004 Pacers-Pistons brawl that spilled into the stands and led to players and fans fighting each other. The documentary includes extensive interviews with the players involved (namely Jermaine O'Neal, Metta World Peace [Ron Artest], and Stephen Jackson), plus Reggie Miller, Ben Wallace, Donnie Walsh (Pacers team president), police officers, a fan, and one of the referees, amongst others. The documentary follows the events preceding the brawl, the brawl itself, and the aftermath. Released 2021; Runtime 68 minutes Concepts Aggression & Violence : A hard foul leads to a brawl between the Pacers and Pistons, and just as it is wrapping up, one fan made it worse, which led to members of the Pacers jumping into the stands and attacking the fans. Mental Health Issues : Metta World Peace explains some of the mental health struggles he was having in the year or two leading up to the brawl, how he was trying to manage his emotions,
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