October 20, 2004
Best movies about HS sports
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
There is a film in the theatres now that many think is one of the very best about high school sports. Friday
Night Lights is the name of the movie and many of us enjoyed the book when it originally was published 13
or 14 years ago. It was written by H.G. Bissinger, a writer with the Chicago Tribune, about Odesa, Texas,
and its obsession with high school football.
Those of you who’ve seen the film can make up your own minds about how good it is and where it ranks.
But, before we decide if it is one of the very best movies about high school sports, we have to determine
what the best films are – lets say the Top 10.
Actually, before we get to the Top 10, here are two honorable mentions. Two fun films that weren’t really
ABOUT high school sports but had high school sports as a plot line. Teen Wolf (1985) stars Michael J.
Fox as a frustrated high school basketball player who discovers he can turn into a wolf and the wolf can
really play hoops. And Max Dugan Returns (1983) features Matthew Broderick as a struggling high school
baseball player whose grandfather shows up with lots of stolen money and pays a major league hitting
instructor (Kansas City's Charlie Lau) to turn his grandson into a great hitter.
Now the Top 10:
10. Vision Quest (1985) – The story of a high school wrestler (Matthew Modine) who wants to win the state
championship to impress an older woman (Linda Fiorentino).
9. One on One (1977) – Robby Benson plays a high school basketball whiz that is highly recruited and
receives the typical major college treatment. But he eventually becomes disillusioned by the reality of
college sports. The story was written by Benson, who was 20 years old at the time.
8. School Ties (1992) – Brendan Fraser plays a Jewish football player who faces Anti-Semitism at a New
England prep school in the 1950s. The film also features early appearances by future stars Matt Damon,
Ben Affleck and Chris O’Donnell.
7. He Got Game (1998) – NBA star Ray Allen makes his acting debut in this Spike Lee film, playing a
high school phenom whose father (Denzel Washington) is released from prison so he can help convince
his son’s college selection. A number of college and NBA players and coaches make brief appearances.
6. Radio (2003) – High school football coach Harold Jones (Ed Harris) befriends Radio (Cuba Gooding, Jr.),
a mentally-challenged student at a South Carolina high school. Their friendship extends over several
decades, as Radio transforms from a shy, tormented student into an inspiration to his community.
5. Love and Basketball (2000) – The story of a young boy and young girl, who live next door to each other,
as they both grow into good high school basketball players, college players and, eventually, a couple. The
stars are Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan. Dennis Haysbert (the President on TV’s 24) plays Omar’s father.
Also featured in the film as Sanaa’s teammates are former Atlantic City High School star Wendi Levy and
ex-St. John Vianney great Erica Gomez.
4. Remember The Titans (2000) – Its Denzel Washington again, this time in a true story portraying the
football coach at T.C. Williams High School in Northern Virginia as the community struggles with
integration. In an interesting sidebar, Ocean City school superintendent Dr. Donald Dearborn was in that
school system when the story featured in the movie was taking place.
3. 1 (2004) – This is a documentary about DeLaSalle High School in Los Angeles and its 151-game win
streak in football. There is a lot of real football action and emotion, but it is also a great story about the
impact the team has on its community.
2. Hoosiers (1986) – Gene Hackman plays a controversial and unemployed college basketball coach who
takes over a small Indiana high school’s program. With help from volunteer assistant Dennis Hopper, he
leads the tiny school into showdowns with the big schools.
1. Hoop Dreams (1994) – A documentary about hoops in the inner city, focusing on two good young
players – Arthur Agee and William Gates – as they try to become successful in high school. There was
also a good PBS follow-up to the film, shot about six years later, that caught up with the two main
characters.
There’s one list of the best high school sports films of all-time. If you think one of your favorites was
overlooked, send it along and we may visit this subject again.
Read more of
Tom Williams' columns