Sport Psychology in Film Collection

  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 ...

  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...

  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...

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 i...

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...

    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 ...

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.

     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 manag...

   Athlete A  is a documentary about the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal that rocked the entire world. Hundreds of young female gymnasts were sexually abused, but the leadership at USA Gymnastics turned a blind eye to what was happening. The documentary recounts what it took to end this abuse by interviewing survivors - particularly Maggie Nichols (Athlete A) and Rachel Denhollander - their families, former gymnasts, and reporters from The Indianapolis Star who helped to  expose the abuse  and hold the enablers accountable. The documentary also touches on the toxic culture of elite-level gymnastics and how it harms young girls. Released 2020; Runtime 103 minutes Concepts Sexual Abuse : The documentary explores how one person could spend decades sexually abusing hundreds of girls and get away with it for so long. Due to his status, power, and connections, any complaints that were brought against him could be quietly deflected or buried. Combine that with a tox...

  Althea  is about the life and career of Althea Gibson , the first African-American to win a Grand Slam title. While she was one of the most dominant players of her time, a combination of racism and a lack of funding caused her to leave the sport just as she was reaching her peak. (This led her to take up golf, where she became the first African-American to compete professionally on the woman's tour). Despite her trailblazing successes, she was largely forgotten by the tennis world shortly after she retired. But she was not forgotten by everyone, and her friends and allies ensured that her legacy would be remembered. Released 2014; Runtime 83 minutes Concepts Cultural Differences : Althea was raised in Harlem, and raised to be tough and never back down. This was in stark contrast to many in the tennis world, who were not used to have an aggressive, attacking opponent. Economic Issues : Althea grew up poor, and while she was a successful tennis player, prize money was muc...

   Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story  chronicles the racing career of  Willy T. Ribbs , the first African-American male to drive in the Indianapolis 500. Despite being an immensely talented driver, participating in the rich white sport of auto racing meant that he would have to deal with racism and the ugly side of sport fandom. But Willy was not one to back down. Willy would give his critics and racist detractors something to really hate him for: being the best. (Content Warning: Racial slurs are used several times throughout the documentary). Released 2020; Runtime 109 minutes Concepts Career & Economic Issues : While driving skill is an important part of being successful in each type of auto racing, participating in said races costs a great deal of money. Coming from limited means and being African-American meant that finding sponsorship was difficult, which in turn meant that Willy often competed with second-rate equipment or could not afford to enter races, w...

Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season is about the last few months of Lindsey Vonn's incredible career. She enters into her last season needing 5 World Cup wins to move past Ingemar Stenmark for sole possession of the most World Cup wins of all time. But she only has 13 competitions to go and is coming off her latest set of injuries. Can she overcome the pain, set the record, and retire the way she has always wanted? Released 2019; Runtime 89 minutes Concepts Injury & Illness : Vonn suffered numerous injuries throughout her career from crashing and they have finally caught up to her; In order to even have a chance at competing, she needs to rehabilitate constantly; Dealing with pain is part of her daily routine. Career Issues : Vonn is about to transition from being a competitive athlete to being retired; She talks about wanting to leave the sport in a certain way on her terms; She questions her commitment to participating in the entire final season due to injuries. ...

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 ...

Team Foxcatcher retraces the lives of Dave Schultz (internationally renown freestyle wrestler) and John du Pont (philanthropist and proponent of amateur sports). This documentary explores why and how du Pont set up a training center for wrestling at Foxcatcher Farm, where athletes could come from all over to hone their skills, and why and how various Olympic-caliber wrestlers came to work and train there. It also documents du Pont's bizarre behavior and declining mental health, which led to a tragic end for both men. Released 2016; Runtime 90 minutes Concepts Mental Health Issues : John du Pont engages in behaviors ranging from a little strange to downright threatening; Becomes excessively paranoid as time passes, which is taken out on people at his training center. Pursuing Your Dream : Because it is difficult for wrestlers to have funding, a training center at Foxcatcher Farm with high-end equipment and coaches, for free, enabled numerous athletes to live and breathe...

Dr. Rob Bell has put together an intriguing list of 11 documentaries that all center around mental toughness and/or grit. The documentaries cover different sports and amazing feats of human survival and endurance, ranging from walking through wilderness to mountain climbing to cardiac rehabilitation to naval disasters. There's sure to be something that you'll find interesting and worthwhile on his list! Check out his post here , and be sure to explore the rest of his blog and site for more resources and information about developing mental toughness.

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...

Trophy Kids  follows families in four different sports (football, basketball, golf, tennis) who are pushing their kids to succeed. But what are the kids playing for: their own dreams, or someone else's dream? This documentary takes an honest look at how sport parents can go wrong. Released 2013; Runtime 107 minutes Concepts Parents & Family; Youth Sport : The entire documentary is about the state of youth sport and overbearing parents; Fascinating look at how well-intentioned people can push their children in counter-productive and negative ways. Motivation (Extrinsic) : Many of the parents talk about their children obtaining a scholarship, playing professionally, living up to their expectations, etc., but rarely is anything intrinsic cited as a reason for playing. Anxiety & Stress : It is clear that the kids are stressed out by the forceful and negative parenting.

The Marinovich Project  recounts the career of Todd Marinovich, who was slated to be the NFL's next big star. The documentary outlines Todd's upbringing, his legendary training and diet regimens, his high school and college careers, his tumultuous NFL career, and what happened to him afterwards. Released 2010; Runtime 90 minutes Concepts Burnout : Todd Marinovich is one of the best-known cases of burnout; Plenty examples are given throughout the first half of entrapment, overtraining, foreclosed identity, and chronic stress. Parents & Family : A prominent fixture throughout Todd's early life was his father, who started training Todd when he was still in a crib; Todd's family goes through a lot of stress because of his intense training, plus when he is homeless following his NFL career. Substance Abuse : Todd becomes addicted to marijuana while in high school, using it as a release; His drug and alcohol use skyrocket in college and while in the NFL, causi...

Murderball  is about wheelchair rugby, aka Murderball, played by paraplegic and quadriplegic athletes. The story centers on the battle between the American and Canadian teams as they compete for the gold medal. Released 2005; Runtime 85 minutes Concepts Disability : Different types of disabilities are discussed and how they play a role in the sport, along with how able-bodied individuals will view and talk to people who have disabilities. Injury & Illness : For many players, their disability was the result of a traumatic accident, like a car crash or motorbike wreck. Players also discussed the recovery period following becoming confined to a wheelchair. Sport-Life Balance : People talk about how sport helps them to keep a grip on their life.