The Heart of the Game documentary

I watched a fabulous documentary a few months ago call The Heart of the Game. I have used it as an example so many times since I watched it as I have spoken with other coaches and with players. The way this male coach works with and motivates his girl players is genius, and the issues of culture and race that it touches on are very enlightening, as well.

The Heart of the Game (2006)… Ludacris (Narrator)
This full-length documentary follows the girls' basketball team at Seattle's Roosevelt High School, which, against the odds, formed a mini-dynasty for several years. Director Ward Serrill filmed for a year, hanging out at practices and games; capturing, in Coach Resler's words, how "it's not about winning and losing, but about how hard you tried, how you overcome obstacles, emotionally how you rely on other girls and how they rely on you." Maybe not a "Hoop Dreams," but it's got emotion, especially in the plot line about the star player's struggle to play the game she loves.

Another movie about girl's basketball is Believe in Me, based on the true story of an Oklahoma basketball coach in Oklahoma in the 1960's. A vanilla movie that is over-sentimentalized (as many sports movies are), but fun to watch to inspire as well as to help understand the history and struggles of girl's basketball. (buy it here) You might try the book instead from which it was based, Brief Garland: Ponytails, Basketball, and Nothing But Net by Harold Keith