Analysis of Coach Carter's Leadership Qualities in The Film

Introduction

Introduction: This essay is based on the movie “Coach Carter” which is an American biographical sports drama film directed by Thomas Carter in the year 2005. The film is based on the true story of Ken Carter who was the coach of basketball of Richmond high school in California. Background: He believed that basketball was secondary to good discipline, learning right things and, personal responsibility. Throughout the movie, Carter started to teach his players about the value of self-respect, learning creative things, discipline, unity, trust and loyalty among team members. Thesis statement: I want to analyze Coach Carter's leadership in my essay to define the qualities of a good leader such as clear and straightforward vision, motivation, effective leadership styles, and confidence.

Carter always showed his players that the biggest obstacle is their own fear of trying for more than they have. 'Starting today, you will act like winners, play like winners, and, most of all, you will be winners'. In the beginning of the film, Ken Carter joins the job as a coach of basketball of Richmond optional school which was in California. Carter realized that the players are rude and disrespectful towards him during the game practice. Commentary: As a good coach, he emphasized the importance of respectful behaviour by calling all his players “sir” and also told them that he will respect them as they respect him back as a coach of their game.

Topic sentence: Looking player’s poor sports and academic performance, poor execution and behaviour, lack of respect, empathy for each other, and nonappearance of trust and loyalty, carter decided to sign a contract from among in order to show respect, care, unity and good behaviour and positive attitude towards each other and also explained they have to maintain at least a 2.3 GPA academically. Evidence & citing: However, ken carter made strict rules and regulations for the team players with that all players started to focus on to improve their performances in basketball game to win the matches confidently. Commentary: Due to rules and guidelines, all players started spending more time on practice of basketball game to become famous player of it. But on the other hand, Coach Carter was upset to get the progress’ reports of their players from their teachers in which their academic grades were started getting poor due to not attending class regularly because by spending all time on games, the players were unable to pay attention towards their studies properly. Topic sentence: In this situation, to solve the problem Coach Ken recalled to all players that they all have signed contract in which academics come first. Evidence & citing: He also decided to take appropriate actions to encourage them to improve their grades in studies and made them to study hard. Commentary: In order to implement his action, on getting poor academic scores he cancelled practice classes, locked up the gym and sent all the players to library to devote their time to studies to get good grades with the help of variety of books related to their studies. Moreover, Coach also cancelled the biggest game of the season and this action of Coach was highly criticized by the school board, parents and players also. He faced many problems but never left his rules and regulations under any circumstances and at last he made his students perfect not only in games but also in academics.

Vision

Topic sentence: Coach Carter was playing a vital role in overall development of students as outstanding motivational leader. Evidence & citing: In this movie, the main vision of Coach ken was realistic and long- term action oriented by focusing on future consequences. Commentary: There is no doubt that his vision covered wide, broader aspects of life which included not only successful achievement of mission values and goals, but also contributing to improve the personal life of his players so that they would be able to stand on their on feet in life to take right decisions. As coach Ken charter was loyal, trustworthy, and compassionate and his inspired personality left an effective and positive mark on his player’s life by playing act as a role model. He always gave priority to teamwork rather than individual performance because he believed that work in a team can change the bad behaviour and negative attitude of players to succeed in life.

Motivation

Topic sentence: In this film, Coach Ken applied two leadership styles theories first one is behavioural style theory and second is relationship management theory. Evidence & citing: According to the behavioural theory, Carter focused on how team unity and spirit can be built among players who were very angry and undisciplined teammates always wasting were fighting among themselves. Being a coach, Carter tried to motivate his team by encouragement, and inspired them to do more and more practice to get fruitful results. He effectively guided the students how to behave well during the teamwork. According to signed contract, Carter encouraged the players to wear jackets and ties, made dress code and every student was supposed to attend classes daily and sit in the front row. Evidence & citing: On the other hand, Coach Ken Carter also implemented the relationship management theory in which he taught all players essence of team spirit, unity, respect, care, kindness, cooperation and emotion for each other which help them to develop their ability to compete opponents by collective teamwork. Coach ken Carter was also supporting them to win and achieve appropriate results academically by building trust with teammates. He clearly identified the difference between teamwork and individual work and told them by following unity how they can learn new experiences, creative things and new lessons to accomplish the goals easily.

He got result in positive outcomes as Coach Ken Cater successfully developed team spirit among players for example, one of character of this movie Timo Cruz was unable to complete his punishment for being late, the entire group shared his punishment individually doing push ups and suicides to get him back in team. Commentary: In this way, Coach carter successfully gained trust and respect of his players in order to convinced them to work hard to complete their goals by adapting discipline and good moral values.

Ethics

Topic sentence: Coach Ken Carter always gave importance to time management, discipline, moral values, sympathy, care, respect, trust and kindness according to his ethical nature. Evidence & citing: He taught to players that never use abused language for any person which shows disrespect and embarrassment for their ancestors. Commentary: I also experienced his kindness while watching this movie as on the one side he was very strict about his rules and regulations but on the other hand when Coach Ken Carter came to know about Jason Lyse whose father was in jail. He understood his condition and had sympathy that his life was not over yet because he believed that with positive attitude nothing is impossible to handle in life. In this way, when he came to know the actual cause, he gave chance to Jason Lyse to join the basketball practice again.

Coach Ken Carter was also against the decision of school board that basketball practice and matches were more important as compared to academic results and graduation. He also insisted principal Garrison to focus on education systems which was mainly responsible for student’s failure.

In this movie, certain types of dilemmas was faced by Coach Ken Carter. First dilemma I observed is that Coach Ken Carter was faced dilemmas to support players in studies so that they can try to focus on improvement in their academic grades or to support the idea and opinion of parents, society and public to inspire the players to carry on basketball practice. Coach Ken Carter faced criticism from society as someone trashed his glass windowpane due to the cancellation of Fermont game which was the very popular game of the year. Moreover, one day when coach was travelling by car, at traffic signal one person suddenly started abusing him on the road for cancelling the practices. But he did not accepted decision to start basketball practice in these circumstances.

Second dilemma or critical situation faced by Coach Ken Carter was when he suspended battle and came to know the reason behind the condition then he felt sympathy for him. At this situation Coach Ken Carter was confused to punish him for his misbehaviour or have sympathy for him. But at last he forgave him and allowed him to join the basketball practice again.

Next, ends-based thinking always reveals do what is best for the greatest number of people. These identified dilemmas were resolved by principle of ends- based thinking, as Coach Ken Carter was decided to motivate the all players to complete their studies successfully with highest marks. Although, Coach decided to quit according to board decision but now players had respect for him, and all were inspired and emotionally attached with him, so they accepted to utilize their basketball practice time for study. Thus, the good interaction, respect, response and active participation of players provided help to Coach Carter to accomplish his main goal for which he preferred the job as a basketball coach in their school.

Leadership effectiveness

• Openness: in this movie, I feel the openness of coach while sharing his strict rules and regulations, feelings, and past experiences related to this game. He also told the players that I learnt about basketball from women and he never hesitated to share his own past school life experience as thirty percent of students went to prison and encouraged his players to focus on graduation.
• Conscientiousness: also showing as he was particular to make decision on the behalf on right things for success, Coach Ken Carter made and signed a contract comprising rules to attend classes regularly and sit in front row in the class.
• Extroversion: he was extravert and maintained a good relationship with previous coach to learn something new about games.
• Agreeableness: when we talk about agreeable nature, most of the time he shows disagreeable nature to take decision as his disagreeable nature only brought a big change in the education system of the Richmond high school.
• Neuroticism: when talking about neuroticism, Coach Carter never get depressed on Board’s decisions and confidently decided to quit instead of supporting the statement of Board that games were more important for students that studies.

Coach Ken Cater believed on his perception for education system of Richmond:

• Analytical Intelligence: he had accurate and good analytical intelligence as by working hard he could examine and evaluate the actual cause of problems in education system. He thought students were not responsible for their poor academic performance because it was totally fault of faculty who designed education system by giving more priority to games rather that studies.
• Practical Intelligence: showing from his experience and knowledge as he faced that time when more importance given to games than studies which ended up the life of students in prison or death. He motivated and inspired his players how to win the game with clear vision for future.
• Creative Intelligence: he had creative intelligence with that he taught the players good moral values and skills which changed their vision for life.
• Leader-Member Exchange (LMX): as this model is based on the interaction between leaders and followers. Coach Ken Carter also became role model for their players because he taught them not only how to win the games but also made them good human being by giving them information about the importance of respect, unity and discipline in teamwork. This Contingency theory based on the good relationship between leader and followers as shown at the end of this movie through Coach Carter and Basketball players.

Сonclusion and reflection

Conclusion paragraph: I learnt many key lessons from this movie that can apply on my personal life. I learnt about the importance of respect, education, unity, team spirit through this motivational film. As am doing job as a voluntary field worker and participated in the community development programs organized by society such as Awareness Camps on drug abuse, female feticide, education of girl child, Empowerment of women through formation of self-help groups by providing them training for employment and self employment. I will try to become a good coach as Coach Ken Carter to bring a change in the community for betterment.

References

• Criswell, C., & Cartwright, T. (2015). Creating a Vision (International Spanish). [Greensboro, N.C.]: Center for Creative Leadership. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=2117476&site=eds-live&scope=site
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1fFdQe_58U
• Samuel L. Jackson Stars in Riveting True Story “Coach Carter.” (cover story). (2005). Jet, 107(2), 54–58. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=fth&AN=15637105&site=eds-live&scope=site