Keywords

high school football, personal nostalgia, emotional connection

Abstract

A few days ago, I sat in a dark theater trying to wipe the tears from my eyes vvithout either of my teenage daughters noticing. We were watching Remember the Titans, a fine movie about Coach Herman Boone's first year as head football coach of the newly integrated football team at T. C. Williams High School in 1971, and several scenes in the movie touched the old high school coach/high school jock heart that still beats in my chest and brought tears to my eyes.

\Vhen I considered my reaction to the film, I assumed that I was caught up in the story for personal, nostalgic reasons. I played high school football in 1971 and later coached football for a few years in the late 70s and early 80s, so it was easy for me to relate to the characters, situations, and emotions presented in Remember the Titans. But it was obvious that not everyone in the theater was a former high school football player or coach, and from what I could tell, they seemed to be enjoying the story every bit as much as I was. At the time, I was surprised that so many people were interested in a film about a high school football team.

Original Publication Citation

“Sports Literature for Young Adults,” English Journal 90.6 (July 2001): 129-133.