This is a dramatic sports movie characterized as “a feel-good movie” directed to you by Robert Collector. It’s acted basing on a true story that transpired way back in the 1960s’ where the general public opinion concerning women athletes was a negative one. The girls’ athletes were marginalized back-then viewing them as very weak sex which needed not to participate in certain sports as they were branded “for men only”.
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What’s the storyline?
The movie showcases a small-town high school basketball coach Clay Driscoll (Jeffrey Donovan) whose expectation is altered as he finds out that the superintendent who was trying to help him become the new coach of the boys’ basketball team gets a sudden heart attack and gets discontinued from his responsibilities at the high school. Due to his being a new Coach and unqualified to take on the Boys’ Basketball team, Driscoll is given another duty of coaching the unfit and less supported girls basketball team.
The coach faces a challenge in this new girls’ Coaching role as he was only used to Coaching boys. He opts to face the challenge before him following the encouragement from his wife. He also strikes a deal with the girls to train them basketball like boys.
Some girls face challenges at home as their parents discourage them from moving on with basketball and resorted to leaving the team but most of them choose to stay on the course.
The lady Cyclones (girls’ basketball team) participate in the basketball training on a daily basis working extra harder in order to disapprove Ellis Brawley (Bruce Dern) through winning the basketball competition that they have ahead of them.
My thoughts
The negative public opinion should never stop us to be what we desire to be in this course of life. These girls chose to break the odds and proved wrong all those naysayers about girls’ athletes by doing their best in their basketball career.
With hard work, we can all reach our goals in life regardless of what sex/gender you are. These girls demonstrated that through putting in the hard work in their basketball career where finally their efforts paid off by them emerging as champions of the girls’ basketball competition.
At times rare opportunities come our-way that need us to pick them up and be their pioneers so that our success may educate others in the long run who may encounter the same challenge. Drisco chose to move along with the second opportunity of coaching the girls’ basketball team regardless of the negative public opinion about girls’ athletes. I believe he now lies in the records of Basketball that have educated many coaches and people in this current generation concerning girls’ participation in Basketball and other tough sporting activities.
Conclusion
Before others can believe in you, a person needs to first believe in him/herself that he/she can be that dream person or attain that desired goal in whatever career path she decides to take. These girls were exceptional as they believed in themselves by participating in the tough basketball training building and nurturing their talent and confidence in the game which eventually gained them fame as people resorted to believing them for the passion and the outstanding results they showcased in their basketball game.
According to my judgment, I give this movie a 4.8 –star rating. It’s a must-watch for all the sports girls who need encouragement in their various sports career paths.