Movie Summary
Coach Carter is based on a true story in which Samuel L. Jackson plays the role of Ken Carter. He is offered a job to coach the basketball team at his former high school, Richmond High, where he was one of the best athletes to ever attend a secondary education there. He took the job to bring change into the poor neighborhood of Richmond but more importantly the student athletes on their basketball team. He made the athletes sign a contract outlining that they will only be allowed to participate in games if the players attend all their classes and practices, maintain a C average, wear a tie and suit on game days, and respect all their teammates and coaches. Ken Carter used a variety of ways to lead and motivate the team to get them on their way to the state championships undefeated. Although he noticed from the progress reports that most of his athletes were doing poor academically, violating the contract the athletes signed at the beginning of the season, so he took immediate action. To get the attention of his athletes, school, and community, that the first word in the term "student athlete" is "student", he locked the gym and cancelled all the games until his athletes showed improvement in their grades. This caused huge commotion and outraged the athletes, the school, and most of the community. After long debate whether the lock should come off or not, the school board decided to open the gym doors and continue the season. Ken Carter did not want to support the message that "basketball players or any athletes are above the law", he wanted to guide them to success in the future so they do not end up like most kids from Richmond, in jail or died. That is why he choose to quit his job, but soon he reconsidered when he realized that he truly did inspire and change the lives of the athletes at Richmond High. The athletes refused to play, until their academic grades improved, and only then did the team get back on the court and make their way to the state championships. They didn't win the championships, they fell short in the first round, but they did win the hearts of the Richmond community and 6 of the athletes went on to college of which 5 won scholarships.