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 ...

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 ...

  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...

The Blind Side , based on the best-selling book by Michael Lewis, tells the story of Michael Oher's life leading up to his decision to play college football. The support of his new family allowed him to go from being homeless to a football star. Released 2009; Runtime 129 minutes Concepts Parents & Family : Oher's adopted family drives his love for football and the people around him; Michael comes to view his team as his family too. Economic Issues : Oher was homeless, living on the streets of Memphis, TN, when a wealthy family takes him under their care. Goal Setting : Michael sets new goals about football and school, which motivates him to try in ways he never did before.

Cinderella Man  is about a boxer in New York City during the 1930s who must battle poverty and the loss of his career. He receives a new opportunity to prove himself in the ring and to save his family from the cruelty of the Great Depression. Released 2005; Runtime 144 minutes Concepts Anxiety & Stress : This is shown before the final fight as Braddock is afraid of dying; He also worries about providing for his family after breaking his hand. Injury & Illness : An injury forces Braddock to lose his only steady source of income and must struggle with the challenges of a broken hand. Economic Issues : The movie takes place during the Great Depression, when poverty was rampant. Motivation (Extrinsic) : During a fight, Braddock has a vision of his family starving which pushes him to gain the strength he needs to win the fight; He also takes on extra shifts at work to sustain an income. Peak Performance : Towards the end of his fights, Braddock clearly gets into a ...

The Greatest Game Ever Played  is about Francis, who dreams of being a professional golfer. However, he is from a low-income family and faces serious resistance from the elite who play the game. Released 2005; Runtime 120 minutes

Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals  is a documentary produced by HBO that chronicles the parallel careers of two of basketball's most well-known and beloved stars, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird. From their humble beginnings to NBA championships to retirement, this documentary spans their rivalry, friendship, and relentless will to win. Released 2010; Runtime 85 minutes Concepts Race & Ethnicity Issues : There are many, many examples of race throughout the documentary: how desegregation affected Magic's high school career, racism towards white players, Bird being dubbed the "Great White Hope" because basketball was "too black," and their rivalry being played up as "black versus white." Economic Issues : Both players had humble beginnings, with Magic growing up in Lansing, Michigan, the son of poor working class parents, and Bird growing up in rural French Lick, Indiana, also the son of poor working class parents....

Varsity Blues  is about a high school football team in a small Texas town that is obsessed with football. This coming-of-age story focuses on the back-up quarterback as he is forced to start. Released 1999; Runtime 106 minutes

This Sporting Life  is about a coal miner who wants to become a professional rugby player. He stars in the local rugby league, but his aggression and impulsivity hinder his progress. Released 1963; Runtime 134 minutes

Oxford Blues  is about an American competing for Oxford's prestigious rowing team in an attempt to win over the girl of his dreams. Released 1984; Runtime 97 minutes

Mystery, Alaska  is about a small town hockey team that is chosen to play an NHL team in a publicity stunt. Released 1999; Length 119 minutes

Breaking Away  is a coming-of-age story about a small townie who had dreams of racing internationally with the best. Released 1979; Runtime 101 minutes

The Sandlot  takes place in the summer of 1962 and follows Scotty Smalls after he moved to a new town with his mother and stepdad. Smalls must now find new friends and learn to play baseball so that he can keep up with the new lingo of this strange sport and fit in with his peers. Released 1993; Runtime 101 minutes Concepts Team Cohesion : This is one of the main themes of the movie, as you can see the cohesiveness of the group be disrupted by a new kid who doesn't know how to play baseball, and then built back up as Smalls is accepted into the group. Leadership : The best player on the team, Benny, takes on a leadership and mentorship role by helping Smalls and the others learn how to play baseballbetter; He also steps up to take on "The Beast."

Hoop Dreams  is a documentary that follows two high school basketball players as they pursue their dream to play in the NBA. Released 1994; Runtime 170 minutes