"Glory Road" and Racial Barrier in Sports

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the story of Don Haskins, the long time and Hall of Fame college basketball coach from Texas Western/UTEP had been largely uncelebrated until the 2006 release of "Glory Road". Directed by James Gartner and staring Josh Lucas as Coach Haskins, the movie depicts his 1966 National Championship run as the barrier breaking coach who was the first to start all black players and win the National Championship. The paper relates that the movie show how, by defeating perennial power and all white Kentucky, Haskins helped break down the racial barrier in sports, particularly in the South. The paper contends that the story told in "Glory Road" is truly an important event in not only American sports history, but also a story which sheds light on and highlights much of the racial issues which are prevalent in sports.

From the Paper:

"Glory Road takes place in the 1960s, primarily in Texas and in the general atmosphere of the racial tensions existing in the American South during the time period. In the movie, the African-Americans who Don Haskin's recruited are given little opportunity to play collegiate basketball and although they have a love for the game, they do not see it as a viable alternative. They are well aware of the limited opportunities afforded to black athletes and to African-Americans in general. However, it seems Don Haskin's is oblivious to this as he cares only about winning and thus is willing to defy the established norms of NCAA Division I basketball in the South and play his men regardless of color. It is not until later as the season develops that he begins to realize the social implications of his actions as head coach as Haskins and his team become something more than just a basketball team, but a team that is playing for something more than just basketball. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Alley, T. R. (2000). Peer Attitudes Towards Adolescent Participants in Male- and Female Oriented Sports. Adolescence Summer2005, 40, 273-281.
• Douglass, D. D. (2005). Venus, Serena, and the Women's Tennis Association: When and Where "Race" Enters. Sociology of Sport Journal, 22, 256-282.
• Erickson, B. (2005). Style Matters: Explorations of Bodies, Whiteness, and Identity in Rock Climbing. : Sociology of Sport Journal, 22, 373.
• Harrison, C. K., & Lawrence, S. M. (2004). College Students' Perceptions, Myths, and Stereotypes about African American Athleticism: A Qualitative Investigation. Sport, Education, and Society, 9, 33-52.
• McDonald, M. M. (2005). Mapping Whiteness and Sport: Introduction to the Special Issue. Sociology of Sport Journal, 22, 245-256.

More papers on "Glory Road" and Racial Barrier in Sports:

• Essay # 89001 : "Ethnic and Racial Segregation in Canadian Cities"
• Essay # 34453 : "Gender and Racial Bias in Transportation"
• Film Review # 117687 : "Glory Road"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: