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...

When the Game Stands Tall  is about a high school football team building a 151 game winning steak and what happens when they lose it. The team most unify as they recover from both the major loss they encountered and the loss of a former teammate. Released 2014; Runtime 115 minutes

42 tells the story of Jackie Robinson, who was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946, breaking Major League Baseball's infamous color barrier. Even though Robinson faced a great deal of racism, he remained professional, displayed remarkable character, and eventually won over his team and the fans, changing baseball forever. Released 2013; Runtime 128 minutes Concepts Race & Ethnicity Issues : The movie is about how Jackie Robinson was the first black MLB player, starting his first game in 1947. Motivation (Intrinsic) : Robinson loved to play baseball and was determined to prove himself worthy enough to play in the MLB. Leadership : In every bad situation Robinson was put in, he remained positive, supported his team, and always strove to do the right thing on and off the field; He set an example for everyone to follow. Team Cohesion : Initially his teammates were not accepting of him, but eventually realized they all had more things in common than they did differe...

The Hard Road is a documentary that focuses on a first year pro-cycling team in the United States. While all eight members come from different backgrounds, they fight for a common goal. The Hard Road allows the viewer to see what it's like in the lives of a professional cyclist, from the hardships to the successes. The team members come to know what effort, hard work and drive really are. Released 2004; Runtime 120 minutes Concepts Anxiety & Stress : One of the members talks about not being able to sleep and how much he worried and thought about the race. Career Issues : The documentary highlights how difficult it is to be a professional cyclist, which only pays $10,000 and requires people to either also work or be supported by someone else. Attention & Focus : When you're riding alone or with a team, a certain level of concentration must always be maintained, and one of the riders commented that the cyclist needs to think about a race intellectually , inst...

Lagaan is takes place during a dry year when the British commanding officer doubles the tax (lagaan) on the Indian villagers in the province he rules. The villagers resist, and the officer challenges them to a game of cricket. If the villagers win, the lagaan is canceled for three years, but if they lose, the tax is tripled. A Bollywood classic. Released 2001; Runtime 224 minutes Concepts Cultural Differences : Each team has different "playing" styles, different dress, different values, etc. all of which are obvious; the commanding officer's sister helps the villagers and learns about their traditions; the players must also deal with an "Untouchable" who wants to join the team Attention & Focus : During the match, a couple players become too psyched up and lose their concentration, causing them to get out Leadership : Bhuvan (the protagonist) must convince his fellow villagers the cricket match is a good idea and recruit people to play; Bhuvan is ...

Coach Carter is based on a true story of an inner-city high school basketball team that only won four games the year previous to getting a new coach. Coach Carter changed the atmosphere of the team, teaching life lessons and changing the mindsets of his players into student-athletes. He prepares them for the future through a bumpy road to success. Released 2005; Runtime 136 minutes Concepts Commitment : Early on, Coach Carter explains to the team that they need to make a serious commitment by acting professionally, maintaining a tougher GPA than required, and sticking to a dress code; Commitment is not instant gratification, but a long term mindset to reach goals. Team Cohesion : Coach Carter gives a player an impossible task (complete 2,500 push-ups and 1,000 suicides) in order for him to rejoin the team, but the rest of the team bands together and helps him accomplish that. Sportsmanship : Coach Carter challenges his team to play with class and act like champions, rather...

Miracle  is about a coach, Herb Brooks, who embarks on a mission to assemble the perfect hockey team to beat the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympic Winter Games held in Lake Placid, New York. The team goes through some initial growing pains, but soon comes together to attempt the seemingly impossible task of beating the best hockey team in the world. Based on a true story. Released 2004; Runtime 135 minutes Concepts Commitment : Herb Brooks talks about commitment multiple times in the film, notably when he tells them they can't win on talent alone, that whoever doesn't give 100% won't make the team, and that they need to give more if they are going to beat the Soviets. Inspirational Moments : Prior to the semi-final game against the USSR, Coach Brooks gives the famous "Great moments...are born from great opportunity" speech. Leadership : Mike Eruzione shows his leadership when he tells Herb Brooks that he plays for the USA after they had been made to s...

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...

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

Invictus  is the real story about the South African rugby team who became champions in 1995, when the Rugby World Cup was held in their own country. Good history about coaching, leadership, and how sports united the whole country, which was suffering from racial and political tensions. Released 2009; Runtime 134 minutes Concepts Team Cohesion : Despite their differences, the team comes together and wins for something greater than themselves; This is evident in the final game against their rival New Zealand. Leadership : The position that the captain assumes in the field and how he becomes the main worker within the team. Pursuing Your Dream : The influence of Nelson Mandela in the training and conversations with the captain / players; Fighting through the disbelief of others.

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...

Wildcats  is about a white middle-class woman, the daughter of a legendary football player, who dreams of becoming a football coach. However, she is assigned to coach a black inner-city football team, presenting numerous difficulties. Released 1986; Runtime 106 minutes

Victory  stars soccer legend Pele as he leads a team of allied prisoners in a soccer game against their German captors during World War II. Simultaneously, the allied officers are plotting an escape. Released 1981; Runtime 116 minutes

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

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

Space Jam  is about Michael Jordan and a team of Looney Tunes who must defeat aliens in a game of basketball to save the Earth. Released 1996; Runtime 88 minutes

Rudy  is the story of a kid who is determined to fulfill his dream of playing football for Notre Dame, despite being undersized, unathletic, and struggling academically. Released 1993; Runtime 114 minutes

The Replacements  is loosely based on the 1987 NFL players' strike, which lasted for four weeks. A formerly retired coach must harness a ragtag group of replacement players to go on a winning streak and make the playoffs. Released 2000; Runtime 118 minutes Concepts Coaching : Coach McGinty has to teach the replacement players the fundamentals of how to play and compete at the professional level. Pursuing Your Dream : Each replacement player in the movie has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play professional football. Team Cohesion : The replacement players need to learn how to work together in order to win. Leadership : Shane Falco, the quarterback, exorcises his past mistakes and learns what it takes to be counted on.

Remember the Titans  is based on the true story of a high school desegregating, meaning that the school and football team now contain both white and black students. Coach Boone, the team's first African-American coach, must unite a high school football team, share a common goal, and show that anything is possible. Released 2000; Runtime 113 minutes Concepts Coaching : The differences between the two coaches was evident; Coach Yoast was easier on the black players, while Coach Boone was tougher but fairer on all the players; Coaches showed everyone that they can become a family. Commitment : The two coaches had to stick by each other, even while other forces were pulling them apart; The players needed to make academics a greater priority so they could play. Team Cohesion : Worked through their differences during training camp. Cultural Differences; Race & Ethnicity Issues : The setting is after two schools are desegregated and integrated; Racism was still commonplace...