Coach Carter

COACH CARTER


Summary
In 1999, Ken Carter, a successful sporting goods store owner, accepts the job of basketball coach for his old high school in a poor area of Richmond, CA. He was once a star player and a champion athlete on the Richmond High School basketball team in Richmond. Carter quickly sees that his work is cut out for him – the team is having an awful season, and their fights off the court are more decisive than their play on the court. As much dismayed by the poor attitudes of his players as well as their dismal play performance, Carter sets about the change both. He knows that playing basketball not just about winning a basketball game, but it takes more skills, perseverance, discipline and teamwork. He immediately imposes a signed contract that includes stipulations for respectful, behavior, a dress code and good grades as requisites to being allowed to participate. He wants to assure that all his players performance all their best on the court and in the classroom.
Under Carter's guidance, the team turns their losing season around, with the state title a genuine possibility. However, when the overconfident team’s behavior begins to stray and Carter learns that a number of his players are doing poorly in class and have let their grade point averages slip below 2.3, as mandated in a contract he entered into with the students, he takes immediate action. He decides to lock the team out of the gym, cancels all team activities and sends them into study hall until their marks improve. Carter's plan quickly becomes a subject of controversy among parents and team boosters, and their objections are soon picked up by the local news media, many of whom are not sympathetic to Carter's belief that his players must have goals beyond college ball or the NBA. Carter fights to keep his methods, because he wants his players to see beyond their hoop dreams and see a future with endless options and possibilities.
Although Richmond Oilers did not win the State Championship, for Carter, they play like champions and they never give up. Carter feels proud of them. Six of them manage to go on to college and five of them get the college scholarships.

Character
1. Coach Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson)
Ken Carter is an owner of a sports equipment shop, decides to take up the position of coaching Richmond’s pathetic basketball team. He hopes to inspire and discipline the troubled youths. In fact, he had attended Richmond High 30 years ago, setting several school records in passing and shooting. Under Carter's guidance, the team turns their losing season around, with the state title a genuine possibility. Despite their new-found excellence on the basketball court, Coach Carter’s team still has trouble maintaining the 2.3 G.P.A mark. In order to keep his kids focused academically, he locks down the gym and cancels games and practices until the team keeps their grades up, much to the dismay of the general public and school officials.
2. Damien Carter (Robert Ri’chard)
The only kid on the Richmond team who is well-rounded is Damien, Coach Carter’s son, who is an overachiever with a 3.5 G.P.A. At last, he went on to break the Richmond High School scoring and assist records previously held by his father. Upon graduation, he received a scholarship to the U.S. Military at West Point.
3. Kenyon Stone (Rob Brown)
Kenyon has trouble with his grades and his girlfriend (who just got pregnant by him). Unfortunately she ends up aborting her child. At the end of this movie, he attended Sacramento State University and received a degree in Communications.
4. Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez)
Cruz involves in gang life and is seen carrying a 9 mm. shotgun in a couple of scenes. He witnesses the murder of his cousin and immediately wants out of gang life. After leaving twice he arrives on Coach Carter’s doorstep in the middle of the night (in tears from watching his cousin get shot), begging to be let back into the team. At last, Timo Cruz attended Humboldt State University where he became a starting guard.
5. Jaron “Worm” Willis (Antwon Tanner)
At the end of this movie, Worm received a scholarship to San Francisco State University where he played point guard for four years.
6. Junior Battle (Nana Gbewonyo)
At last, Junior Battle went to San Jose State University on a full scholarship.
7. Jason Lyle (Channing Tatum)
The end of the movie, Jason Lyle went to San Diego State University and graduated with a degree in Business Administration.

My Opinion
In this movie, there are several social issues such as violence, sexual content, language, teen partying and some drug material. In this movie, Carter encourages his players to put education before recreation. He knew that education is more important. It is about their future. Besides that, one teammate, Kenyon and his girlfriend talk about the responsibility of their actions as soon as she admits she’s pregnant (unfortunately she ends up aborting her child). Another teammate, Cruz witnesses the murder of his cousin and immediately wants out of gang life. After leaving twice he arrives on Coach Carter’s doorstep in the middle of the night (in tears from watching his cousin get shot), begging to be let back into the team. Carter immediately welcomes him with open arms. Another issue is after Carter discovering that his team went to a wild party; he wastes no time in chastising them for what they have done. In this movie, the team members also influence by the alcohol. The basketball team is invited to a party where they sit in a hot tub with girls all while under the influence of alcohol (the guys strip to their boxers and the girls strip to their bras and underwear). In the same scene, one teammate, Worm is seen from a balcony wearing nothing but a towel, indicating he may have slept with someone. The violence also happens in this movie. Someone breaks into Coach Carter’s sports equipment shop to ask him to open the court for the members to play basketball. There is also a lot improper language is using in this movie.
In this movie, I learn teamwork is very important. As in this movie, Cruz’s teammates offering to finish up his exercises, so he could stay on the team. The movie also teaches that in life we will always have obstacles. It’s up to us to overcome them and be successful. I also learn that playing basketball is not just about winning the games; it takes more than skills, perseverance, discipline and teamwork. Respect each other and using proper language also the values that I learn from this movie.

What is your deepest fear?
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear our presence automatically liberates others.