5 Movies To Teach Kids Sportsmanship
By, Cody Elliott
It doesn’t matter which era you’re from or the sports you participate in. There are a handful of classic movies for each generation of young athletes growing up.
Sports movies have maintained popularity for decades, using comedy, drama, and more to bring together athletes uniquely on the screen and teach lessons in the process.
For many young athletes at Horizons Edge, the art of sportsmanship isn’t a problem. The Shenandoah Valley is filled with respectful, promising players who know how to play the game correctly and treat their opponents with dignity in the process.
But there are movies to try for those who are just getting introduced to athletics and are still adjusting to how to be a good sport when competing in the intensity of a sport.
Here is a list of five movies for young athletes to consider watching on sportsmanship:
1. Remember The Titans
This Disney classic is a true story based on a football team at T.C. Williams High School in Virginia. It takes a look at the beginning of integration in Alexandria and dives into the racism and friendships that result from overcoming prejudice. With the visual of how athletes from different backgrounds can come together, this movie allows athletes to see what it takes to be the ultimate teammate and make sacrifices for others.
2. Hoosiers
This movie may come across as old school for today’s generation, but it’s a must-watch for any young athlete. Based on a tiny high school in Indiana, this hoops classic is filled with perfect storylines covering a variety of angles in sports. With a comeback storyline filled with intrigue, it provides reason to believe for athletes of all sizes and skill sets.
3. Field Of Dreams
An Iowa farmer keeps hearing voices telling him to create something, which he interprets as turning his farm into a baseball field. The result is a growing passion for the sport, an understanding of the deeper meaning behind it, and the developing of a love for the game while defining a specific purpose for the field. The line “If you build it, they will come” rings throughout the movie, proving hard work eventually pays off.
4. Rudy
Another old-school movie that is based on a true story, Rudy tells the story of former Notre Dame walk-on football player Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger Jr., whose dreams of playing for the Fighting Irish are laughed at by those on campus but passionately pursued by the former groundskeeper. This is the ultimate underdog story that once again proves when you do things the right way, it will pay off in the long run.
5. The Sandlot
The Sandlot, much like many of the youth leagues at Horizons Edge, brings together the youth from a specific area and forges friendship through a sport. In this specific movie, the game of baseball is played in a small neighborhood and the lessons learned throughout help showcase just how special the team aspect of athletics can be.
