Ask most basketball coaches and even leadership experts, and they will all agree that “Coach Carter” is among their introductory or opening-day motivational films. There are great lessons not just about the sport, but in life in general that can be picked up from this much-loved flick. Here are some of them.
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| Image source: netflix.com |
One is the importance of showing players respect. Players will reciprocate respect if the coach is willing to give it. In the movie, coach Carter insisted on having every player in the team call one another “sir.” The players were initially uneasy with this, but they eventually came around and saw that this meant treating everyone on equal footing.
Secondly, being punctual is a key aspect of practice. Arriving on time for practice sessions is an important manifestation of passion for the game, discipline, and respect for both the coach and the team.
Another lesson is that teamwork means working as a unit. The struggle of one player is the struggle of all. In the film, a remorseful player desperately wanted to come back to the team and was instructed by coach Carter to do an impossible number of push-ups. His teammates stepped up to help him finish the task. A great team is one where the members can count on each other.
Finally, “Coach Carter” showed the value of education. Carter understood that his players were student-athletes and that the word “student” comes first. The film played up the importance of learning throughout the film, more than it did basketball and winning. Carter even initiated a lockdown of the school gym when he found out that his players weren’t meeting their grade requirements.
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| Image source: fanart.tv |
Bob Mims, CPA, is a golfer, sports fan, and fitness enthusiast. A former basketball coach, he has been a sports enthusiast for most of his life. More sports and fitness reads here.
