- Alley Cat Strike (2000)- “Alley Cat Strike” is a 2000 Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Rod Daniel. The film revolves around a group of misfit students from a small-town high school who form a bowling team to save their school’s extracurricular activities program from being shut down by the school board. The film’s title refers to a term used in bowling to describe a ball that hits the pins on both sides of the alley.
The film stars Kyle Schmid as Alex Thompson, a popular high school student and star athlete who has unexpectedly kicked off the basketball team. He then joins forces with some unlikely allies, including a nerd, a rebel, and a girl who has a crush on him, to form a bowling team and take on the rival high school in a bowling competition.
- The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)- “The Greatest Game Ever Played” is a 2005 biographical sports film directed by Bill Paxton. The film tells the true story of Francis Ouimet, a working-class amateur golfer who, in 1913, shocked the golfing world by winning the U.S. Open championship, one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world, against all odds.
The film stars Shia LaBeouf as Ouimet, who was a former caddie at the Brookline Country Club, where the U.S. Open was being held that year. The film also features performances by Stephen Dillane, Peter Firth, and Elias Koteas.
- Jhonny Tsunami (1999)- “Johnny Tsunami” is a 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Steve Boyum. The film tells the story of a Hawaiian teenage surfer named Johnny Kapahala, who is forced to move with his family to Vermont, where he has trouble fitting in with the local kids who are into snowboarding.
Johnny is played by Brandon Baker, and the film also features performances by Lee Thompson Young, Kirsten Storms, and Mary Page Keller. While in Vermont, Johnny discovers that snowboarding is not so different from surfing and befriends a group of snowboarders who teach him how to ride the slopes. However, his grandfather, a former champion surfer, disapproves of his new hobby and urges him to return to surfing.
- Invincible (2003)- “Invincible” is a superhero comic book series created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Cory Walker. The series was first published in 2003 by Image Comics and has been highly acclaimed for its unique take on the superhero genre.
The story follows the life of Mark Grayson, a teenager who discovers that his father is a superhero named Omni-Man and that he has inherited his father’s powers. Mark decides to become a superhero himself, taking on the name “Invincible”. He joins a team of superheroes called the Guardians of the Globe, and together they defend the world from various threats.
As the series progresses, Mark begins to discover that the world of superheroes is much darker and more complicated than he originally thought. He faces a variety of challenges, both personal and external, as he tries to navigate his new life as a superhero.
- Iron Will (1994)- “Iron Will” is a 1994 American adventure film directed by Charles Haid and starring Mackenzie Astin, Kevin Spacey, and David Ogden Stiers. The film is loosely based on the true story of the 1917 Great Race of Mercy, in which a group of sled dog teams raced across Alaska to deliver diphtheria antitoxin to Nome.
The film follows the story of Will Stoneman, a young man who dreams of entering a dog-sled race to save his family’s farm. When his father dies during a sled-dog race, Will is forced to enter the brutal 500-mile race across the Alaskan wilderness in order to win the prize money and save his family’s farm.
- Brink! (1998)- “Brink!” is a 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Greg Beeman. The film follows the story of Andy “Brink” Brinker, a teenage in-line skater who becomes torn between his loyalty to his friends and his desire to join a sponsored team and compete in a championship event.
Brink is the leader of a group of in-line skaters called the “Soul Skaters”, who skates for the love of the sport and are against commercialization. However, when Brink’s family faces financial struggles, he decides to join a sponsored team called the “X-Blades” in order to earn money to help his family.
- Cool Runnings (1993)- “Cool Runnings” is a 1993 American comedy sports film directed by Jon Turteltaub and starring Leon Robinson, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, and John Candy. The film is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaican bobsled team’s debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.
The film follows the story of Derice Bannock, a Jamaican sprinter who is disqualified from competing in the Olympics after a qualifying race. Determined to still participate in the Olympics, Derice recruits three other sprinters and convinces a former American bobsled champion, Irv Blitzer, to coach them in the sport of bobsledding.
- Glory Road (2006)- “Glory Road” is a 2006 American sports drama film directed by James Gartner and starring Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, and Jon Voight. The film is based on the true story of the 1966 Texas Western College basketball team, who was the first team in NCAA history to start five black players in the national championship game.
The film follows the story of Don Haskins, a college basketball coach who is hired to lead the Texas Western College basketball team. Haskins recruits a diverse group of players, including several black players, and faces intense opposition and racism from other coaches and players.
- Remember the Titans (2000)- “Remember the Titans” is a 2000 American sports drama film directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Denzel Washington, Will Patton, and Wood Harris. The film is based on the true story of the 1971 high school football team of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and their integration following the consolidation of two previously segregated schools.
The film follows the story of African American coach Herman Boone, who is hired to lead the T.C. Williams High School football team, replacing the previous white head coach Bill Yoast. Boone faces intense opposition from players and community members due to his race, but he manages to bring the team together and create a winning season.
- Miracle (2004)- “Miracle” is a 2004 American sports drama film directed by Gavin O’Connor and starring Kurt Russell as the real-life coach Herb Brooks. The film is based on the true story of the 1980 United States Olympic hockey team, who won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
The film follows the story of Herb Brooks, who is tasked with coaching a team of amateur and collegiate players to compete against the heavily favored Soviet Union hockey team. The team faces numerous challenges, including personal and team conflicts, but ultimately comes together and defeats the Soviet Union in the iconic “Miracle on Ice” game.
