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 ...

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...

Based on Dan Millman's book "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior," Peaceful Warrior is filled with sport psychology concepts and spiritual and philosophical questions that cut to the core of the viewers. Guided by a spiritual teacher who poses as a gas station attendant, the fiery world class gymnast, Millman, goes through a lifetime of adventure focused on finding meaning, truth, happiness, and joy in the pursuit of excellence. Released 2006;  Runtime 120 minutes Concepts Imagery : Through learning to harness his mind though mental preparation, Millman prepares his body to return to the sport he loves; Specific examples include him imagining satisfaction from the journey, not the destination, and the image of "taking out the trash" let him focus on his goals. Injury & Illness : Millman gets into a major motorcycle accident, and it was thought he would never be able to walk again; 10 months later he was walking, running, and getting back onto the ring...

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.

True Blue  (also known as Miracle at Oxford ) is about the Oxford rowing team's rivalry with Cambridge. After a tough loss, the team argues over how to band together to come back and win again. Released 1996; Runtime 115 minutes

Slap Shot  is about a failing hockey team that is losing money. To drum up fan interest, the team signs the Hanson brothers, who constantly fight and engage in violence. Released 1977; Runtime 123 minutes

Searching for Bobby Fischer  is about a young chess  prodigy  who struggles with the pressures of competition. Released 1993; Runtime 109 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

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...

Little Giants  is about a nerdy coach who assembles a football team to play the city champions. Released 1994; Runtime 107 minutes

A League of Their Own  is the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League  in the 1940s. The movie follows two sisters as they travel from Oregon to Chicago and learn about themselves and build life-long relationships with their teammates. Released 1992; Runtime 128 minutes Concepts Team Cohesion : The team creates and sings an anthem in honor of their experience as professional baseball players, showing the unison and harmony the players developed through their teamwork. Confidence : Kit experiences a blow to her confidence when the scout remarks that he wants Dottie, but not her, because Dottie was having a lot more success. Leadership : Dottie takes on a leadership role on the team and tries to be a good role model, for example, by offering their manager a soda instead of his flask to help him control his reliance on alcohol.

Jerry Maguire  is a story about a sports agent and his only client learning what is really important in life. Released 1996; Runtime 139 minutes

Gladiator  is about two teenagers who become friends in the world of underground boxing. Released 1992; Runtime 101 minutes

Field of Dreams  is the story of an Iowa farmer who hears voices and builds a baseball diamond in his cornfield. Released 1989; Runtime 107 minutes

Fever Pitch  is about a man's conflict between his obsession with soccer and the woman he loves. Released 1997; Runtime 102 minutes

The Fan  is about an obsessed baseball fan who causes problems for an all-star player. Released 1996; Runtime 116 minutes

Brian's Song  is a heart-wrenching tale of friendship between Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo, who is fighting cancer. Released 1971; Runtime 73 minutes

Blue Chips  is about a basketball coach's ethical struggles to win.   Blue Chips  is also Shaq's first movie. Released 1994; Runtime 108 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