Sport Psychology in Film Collection

  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. Politica...

   Brittany Runs a Marathon  is about Brittany, an aimless twenty-something-year-old, who spends her time partying and bouncing from job to job. When she visits her doctor, he tells her that she needs to get healthy and lose weight. What follows is a deeply personal journey as Brittany uses exercise to discover more about the type of person she is and wants to be, culminating with setting a once unthinkable goal: running the New York City marathon. Released 2019; Runtime 104 minutes Concepts Body Image : Throughout the movie, Brittany struggles with how she looks. Because she is overweight, she struggles to believe that she - and other overweight women - can be happy. She is also very self-conscious when she first goes out to exercise, acutely aware that she will stand out. Commitment : Although she is hesitant to start running, step by step and day by day, she slowly starts to become a runner and commits herself to a healthier lifestyle. There are setbacks that test her ...

Free Solo is about Alex Honnold and his death-defying, gravity-defying, mind-blowing free climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Free climbing is rock climbing, but without the use of protective equipment, meaning it is just you and the mountain. This documentary extensively interviews Alex and follows his months of preparation and training leading up to his exhilarating ascent and is one of the most impressive feats you will ever see. Released 2018; Runtime 100 minutes Concepts Confidence : Alex does not undertake major climbs without first feeling completely confident in his training, preparation, and fitness; He regularly talks about practicing over and over and over again until he knows every little rock and edge of the path he is going to climb. Attention & Focus : A huge part of being able to climb the way he does is by blocking out distractions and focusing only on what he needs to, including during training. Anxiety & Stress : Alex appears to be ...

Icarus , which won the 2018 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, is about the shadowy world of doping in international sport. Bryan Fogel, an amateur cyclist, sets out to show that anyone can game the system if they have the desire. Shortly after beginning his doping regimen, he is put in touch with Grigory Rodchenkov , the director of RUSADA (Russian Anti-Doping Agency), who helps him to mask his performance enhancement drug use. But what unfolds after is an international thriller as RUSADA is investigated and Rodchenkov flees to the United States. The information that Rodchenkov reveals to the world helped cause the partial ban of Russian athletes in the 2016 and 2018 Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Released 2017; Runtime 121 minutes Concepts Doping : Bryan Fogel uses testosterone, HGH, and EPO, (a similar regimen to that of Lance Armstrong), and actually shows the injections; Through working with Rodchenkov, he is also able to mask his use. Confidence : Bryan feels...

More Than a Game  follows high school star LeBron James and his talented teammates as they grow up and compete. They face many challenges along the way, including players being ineligible and growing media attention. This documentary focuses on their senior year and the last time they will ever play together. Released 2009; Runtime 105 minutes Concepts Confidence : The team is overconfident their junior year, thinking they can act however they want and still come out victorious, which does not happen. Goal Setting : At the start of the year, because this is their last time playing together, the team sets out to be national champions; They accomplish their goal because everyone makes sacrifices for the good of the team and their goal. Media : Because of their success, they were on a national stage, with come with lots of fans, but also a lot of detractors and people who wanted them to lose. Team Cohesion : The "Fab Five" had been playing together since middle...

Pelé: Birth of a Legend  chronicles the life of one of the best soccer players of all time, starting from the slums of Brazil to competing on the national stage. Released 2016; Runtime 107 minutes Concepts Goal Setting : Pelé promises his dad that he will win a World Cup for Brazil one day and that goal motivated him throughout his life. Anxiety & Stress : Pelé leaves home for the first time at age 15 to play; He also leaves school and risks not having an education. Confidence : His confidence drops while he is playing for Santos FC because he wasn't allowed to play his style. As he struggles, he believes that he is a bad player and almost quits soccer. Injury & Illness : Pelé injures his knee in a match and tries to play through it; He doesn't want to sit out, but clearly struggles with it on the field. Pursuing Your Dream : This is what the entire movie is about; Specific moments include deciding to leave home to play, realizing he cannot quit, or playi...

Run, Fatboy, Run  is about Dennis Doyle, who left Libby at the alter due to mounting pressures of being a husband and father. Now Libby has a new boyfriend who is everything Dennis is not. Motivated to win back Libby's respect, his goal is to run a marathon alongside the antagonist Whit. Released 2007; Runtime 100 minutes Concepts Attributions : Dennis attributes his failures to external, stable, and out-of-control variables. Confidence : Dennis walks around the whole movie slumpy until the very end, while Whit is a very proud and confident person. Goal Setting : Dennis sets his goal of finishing the marathon and earning back the respect of Libby and his son Jake. Imagery : During the marathon, Dennis hits the "runner's wall" and envisions himself breaking through a real wall, recalling images of past moments. Motivation (Extrinsic) : Dennis is motivated by various other characters throughout the movie, such as making a bet with friends, being chased w...

The Rookie  is about Jim Morris, who pitched in the minors, but after injuring his arm and having multiple surgeries, he became a science teacher and baseball coach in a Texas high school. After a bet with his team he found himself at an MLB tryout and at 35 years old attempts a childhood dream. Released 2002; Runtime 127 minutes Concepts Coaching : Jim Morris is a high school coach, so there are several examples of him coaching throughout the movie. Confidence : Jim pitches batting practice to the team, and once they start hitting off him, they have the confidence to hit any pitcher they face. Pursuing Your Dream : His childhood dream was to pitch in the MLB, which is the dream he is now chasing again. Injury : He was drafted young, but after injuring his arm, he had to give up his pitching career and his chance at making it in the big leagues. Motivation (Extrinsic) : The bet between Jim and his team give the team extra motivation to win the championship, whil...

The Waterboy  is about the team waterboy (Bobby Boucher) who accidentally has his anger unleashed, turning him into a defensive maniac and a feared linebacker. However, if he wants to play football, he must keep it a secret from his mother who believes he is too delicate, while also overcoming academic adversity. Released 1998; Runtime 90 minutes Concepts Aggression &Violence : Aggression is displayed throughout the movie, usually unlocked by opposing team members and even his coach, which causes him to play better. Confidence : Bobby was picked on by players from both teams he worked for but failed to redeem himself due to a lack of confidence; His aggressive play leads him to feel more confident. Cultural Differences : Bobby's coach is invited over for dinner, and his mother says that he does not need to go to college; It is evident they have different standards and beliefs towards education. Imagery : In several instances Bobby uses images from his past to make...

Like Mike  is about an orphan kid who encounters magic shoes that turn him into a great basketball player. He then gets the opportunity to play for an NBA team and faces several ups and downs along the way. Released 2002; Runtime 99 minutes Concepts Confidence : When Calvin entered his first game, he was not confident at all and did not want the ball, but once he put on his MJ shoes he gained total confidence and won the game. Parents & Family : This happens when Calvin is adopted by a teammate and he now has a real father and family. Team Cohesion : This happens throughout the whole movie but is specifically noticed when the announcer talks about the team having had teamwork since Calvin has been on the team.

Haley Graham, a former elite gymnast, is forced to enroll in a gymnastics academy after too many run-ins with the law. Haley is far from welcomed by her new teammates, who resent her for walking out on her Junior Olympics team a few years earlier. Stick It  is about her return and follows Haley's hardships and personal growth while at the academy. Released 2006; Runtime 103 minutes For more detailed information and reviews, please visit the  Internet Movie Database (IMDB)  or  Rotten Tomatoes . Most movies can be viewed or purchased through  Amazon ,  Netflix , and  Hulu , or from other online and local retailers. Concepts Confidence : When the girls have their first meet, Haley shows confidence in her teammates by telling them to throw harder skills because she knows they can do it; Haley also starts by practicing the hardest skills, rather than easing back into it. Eating Disorders : The coach doesn't let Haley finish her dinner and for...

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby  is a comedy that follows the career of NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby. He grew up with the motto, "If you ain't first, you're last." Ricky Bobby is in the race of his life when his career and motto are put to the test when French Formula One driver Jean Girard joins NASCAR. Released 2006; Runtime 108 minutes Concepts Anxiety & Stress : This is depicted throughout several portions of the movie, memorably where Ricky Bobby is learning to "drive with the fear," or in his case, a cougar. Career Issues : This is the overall theme of the movie, best summed up at the end with the unveiling of Ricky Bobby's new car. Confidence : After Ricky Bobby's crash, his confidence is shaken and his anxiety cripples him to the point where he cannot even drive a car. He slowly regains his confidence after training with his father. Reader Note:  A great satire for issues that might arise during competition. As a te...

Touching the Void  is an incredible story of survival in the face of death. This part documentary, part dramatic reenactment follows Joe Simpson and Simon Yates as they climb the previously unclimbed west face of Siula Grande . The ascent goes well, but, as Joe states, "80% of accidents occur on the way down." Released 2003; Runtime 106 minutes Concepts Confidence : At the beginning of the movie, they believed they would be the first ones to do it because they were better than the previous climbers, but experienced a loss of confidence following the injury (felt "doomed" and "psychologically beaten"). Goal Setting : After injury, Joe repeatedly makes time-based goals for motivation as he crawls across the top of a glacier to get back to camp. Injury : Shortly into the descent, Joe falls and breaks his leg, rendering him crippled the rest of the climb. Motivation (Intrinsic) : At the very beginning, Joe and Simon talk about how much they love cl...

Without Limits  is a biography of Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine , chronicling his career from the University of Oregon to the Olympics to his untimely death. Released 1998; Runtime 117 minutes

When We Were Kings  is a documentary about the 1974 heavyweight title bout "Rumble in the Jungle" between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali. Released 1996; Runtime 89 minutes

Vision Quest  is about a high school wrestler, Louden, who attempts to drop two weight classes to beat the state's number one wrestler Shute. Released 1985; Runtime 105 minutes Concepts Confidence : Louden's confidence grows throughout his quest to face Shute. Eating Disorders : Louden must cut weight to face Shute, so he eats sparingly and overtrains, causing nosebleeds. Attention & Focus : Louden focuses on Shute every day, even when Shute shows up at a match to get in his head. Imagery : He imagines the six minutes on the mat with Shute, but his friend tell him, "It's not the six minutes, its what happens in those six minutes that counts!" Underdogs : Louden is the underdog because no one has beaten Shute and he is a monster.

Youngblood  is about a young hockey star on a minor league team who is trying to impress professional scouts. He is pressured to show that he can fight even though he does not want to. Released 1986; Runtime 110 minutes

The Natural  is about a man's invigorating return to a baseball team after a mysterious absence. Great scene with a sport psychologist in it. Released 1984; Runtime 134 minutes

The Mighty Ducks  is about a lawyer who serves out his community service by coaching a peewee hockey team, bringing the team together, and reversing their dismal fortunes. Released 1992; Runtime 100 minutes

Major League  is a goofy comedy about a team of misfits who win despite the odds being stacked against them. Released 1989; Runtime 107 minutes