Sport Psychology in Film Collection

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...

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.

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...

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...

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes  is a made-for-television movie based on the book about gymnasts and the extreme difficulties they encounter at the upper echelons of competition. Elite gymnastics results in many sacrifices for all involved, both physically and mentally, but how how much is too much? Released 1997; Runtime 96 minutes Concepts Anxiety & Stress : The coach puts them under constant pressure so they will cope better with it, and some handle it better than others. Commitment : The girls are reminded on a regular basis about how much effort that they need to put into their gymnastics to pursue their goal. Eating Disorders : Katie reduces the amount she eats, saying that she won't eat her dinner and if she does, she will just throw it up because losing three pounds means gaining a foot in height in her tumbling. Goal Setting : The coach puts a lot of outcome oriented goals on the athletes: win or else that's it. Pursuing Your Dream : All the girls hop...