The Converse Blog

Glory Road (2006)

The film is based on a true story including events of the 1966 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship

“Glory Road” is the story about the coach of students’ basketball team from Texas

Don Haskins who in 1966 took only African-American players in the team (it was a revolutionary innovation) and as a result he led them to the victory in the championship …

The “Glory Road” movie was directed by James Gartner and debuted in USA in 2006.

However players with white color of a skin do not strongly aspire to leave for the western Texas so the coach had to pay his attention to the black men playing basketball. There was the middle of 60th years and black basketball players in a team were only the necessity of justifying racial «non-discrimination». «The game was created for white people, and it exists only for them» —so coach Haskins did in defiance to this rule. He proved that there is no matter of what color of skin the player had, what his level of education was and what religion he confessed. He saw only important things — speed, talent and ability to work in a team.

Trainings were extremely tiresome for players, but all that was done to make the game easy, to teach them fastness and self-mastery. The team of Haskins though opened the season but caused many racist attacks. But the players of this team were good sportsmen and did not pay any attention to other people’s opinion. They were taught by the best trainer. And they could prove their superiority only by playing and winning.

Trying to reach the NCAA finals which were going to be held at College Park, Maryland, they faced University of Kentucky. That team was a top-ranking one playing under the direction of legendary coach Adolph Rupp (Jon Voight). “Wildcats” were better experienced and all of them were white. On the eve of the game Haskins gathered the whole team into the big empty sports ground and declared about his decision to take only African-American players for that game. And even white players reacted very well. So the coach was right – it worked. They won the championship!

Trainings were extremely tiresome for players, but all that was done to make the game easy, to teach them fastness and self-mastery. The team of Haskins though opened the season but caused many racist attacks.

Don Haskins has destroyed a stereotype about “white” basketball, having defined a direction of basketball development. Having won a large quantity of games and some championships, he became a legend.

The “Glory Road” movie was directed by James Gartner and debuted in USA in 2006. Download “Glory Road” and read more about this excellent story!