Movie Review: When The Game Stands Tall

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When The Game Stands Tall is a football movie. But this is a football movie about far more than the sport. It’s not about grown men; it’s about young men growing up. And it’s not just for football fans. This movie is for everyone.

With the leadership of Coach Bob Ladouceur, the De La Salle high school football team won 151 straight games over twelve years. They hold the record for the longest winning streak by any team for any sport. Even the longest professional winning streak is a mere fraction of what De La Salle has achieved.

When The Game Stands Tall is not about the winning streak. It’s about the qualities and character of the coaches and team members who made that streak a reality. It’s about how, when things began to crumble, these values carried the team through and made them stronger. Perseverance, commitment, honor, faith, respect. These young men became more than team mates, they became brothers.

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The De La Salle team used commitment cards. Their purpose was partly for the sport. Each team member committed to making an effort above and beyond what was expected on the field. Most of their commitments were related to sports preparation, but this is such an amazing method that can be practiced by anyone. As a parent, I get caught up in the day-to-day stuff – cleaning the house, preparing meals, running errands – and sometimes I find myself losing moments with my children that could have taught or encouraged them. I am using my own commitment cards now, pledging to make time for puzzles and board games and in-depth explanations of clouds and laundry and other curious questions that come my way. Accountability. Commitment cards are about accountability and as a team, they allowed De La Salle to hold each other accountable for their commitments to the team and to life.

When The Game Stands Tall is an inspiring and motivating film and I highly recommend it. You can see it in theatres starting August 22. For more information visit https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/whenthegamestandstall/.

Note:  I was invited to a pre-screening of When The Game Stands Tall and provided with some promotional materials.  But this did not affect my opinion in any way.