Introduction:
There is no doubt that the movie Remember the Titans is chalked in moments full of victory and despair. Amidst an atmosphere full of racial tension in Virginia, Disney writes the movie Remember the Titans to chronicle the events on a big screen. In the film, Boone, a black coach, meets several challenges in becoming the head coach. Conflict arises due to the opposition of those who do not accept the integration of black and white students. The board threatened Boone with losing his position in case the Titans lost a match. To please the community, Boone uses his work to support and fight for the integration of whites and blacks. In the coaching of Mr. Boone, power and leadership come into play inside and outside the field. The movie by Mr. Boone exemplifies concepts like fostering intergroup cooperation, experimenting and taking risks, and empowering others.
Empowering Others
The movie presents Mr. Boone as a transformational leader who displays Inspirational and motivational characteristics to his players. The coach was tough and genuinely cared about his players and even the team. Evidently, some players later confessed that Boone had a great impact since he taught them how to take advantage of their opportunities (Velez, Hughes & Way, 2012). In the movie, there are moments when some players think of giving up and quitting. However, most of them did not leave due to Boone. He never told the players to go; if they did, it was due to a personal choice.
Velez, Hughes, and Way (2012) explain how Boone fosters positive expectations by expecting the team to do their best. The couch was very tough on the players. At times, he would get upset, but later, he sat with a player and talked to him one-on-one about success. He showed that the team was passionate about football and cared for the lives of his players. He encouraged the heart of weak players, and the team continued excelling just to show Coach Boone that they were right. Even though they did not win every game, he empowered and encouraged the players to exercise hard work; hence, he and the team were an inspiration to the community. The film, therefore, focuses on how Boone faces issues of race. For example, Coach Boone’s tactics demonstrate a caring attitude more so than the lessons at the Gettysburg battleground. Of interest is how he empowers the relationship between Julius, an African American defensive player, and Gerry, a white team captain. The impact of Coach Boone emerges as the film progresses, where the hatred between the two changes to trust and friendship, which later become better football players. At the end of the movie, the works of Boone are evident in the harmony of the two (Velez, Hughes & Way, 2012).
Fostering Cooperation
Another concept that Boone exemplifies is enabling others to act through intergroup cooperation. As a coach, Boone knew he could not do everything alone. Therefore, he allows others to perform by getting the best out of them primarily to reach the set goals. As a coach, he ensured every player, and even Coach Yoast contributed to the team’s success. As a result, Coach Boone created an atmosphere of collaboration (Leary, 2013). He taught the players to trust each other despite the fierce racial discrimination. Player Lee states that the players were “so tired after the training that all one could do was just to take a rest” rather than caring about racial discrimination. Also, the equal treatment the players received created cooperation between them. The fair treatment enhanced much trust between the players and the coach as there was no favoritism.
Also, he fostered collaborations through the rewards of joint efforts he gave. When the guys worked well, he gave praise when it was deserved. Also, he strengthened the players to be leaders of themselves. In return, the majority knew when to become a team player and when to play individually. Boone also believed in the theory that by giving power, one gets power. He, therefore, collaborated with his assistant coach Yoast by allowing them to exercise their roles. Most important are the events in Alexandria. During the team travel, intergroup cooperation was hard to attain. At the camp, segregation prevailed since players focused most on the physical differences. Boone further confirms that there were “two armies that met at the sites” (Leary, 2013). Boone becomes sad when the team sheds each other’s blood due to racial issues. However, streams of joy fill Boone after addressing the group when he notices a visible difference when Lewis and Gerry sit together.
Experimenting and Taking Risks
The movie portrays Herman’s first step in taking the job as an element of risk. According to the majority, many wanted Bill Yoast, who won the previous championship, to handle the situation. Choosing Boone over Yoast stirred a negative response from the community. To make it worse, Boone was black. Many parents thought he would not survive the camp. In fact, they wanted him to resign due to his color (Leary, 2013). In experimenting with the coaching role, Boone coached harshly, and many players realized the intention was a success. As far as he was concerned, he did not allow race to determine his progress. He just told the players to abide by and live with the rules.
However, dealing with three teams from different backgrounds was quite hectic. Boone created a vision for the group that everyone could live by. Rufus states, “He was the authority…” He organized the team, taught them the essence of time, and promoted a program where everyone had to earn a position. He did not stop at coaching; he became very interested in the players’ welfare. In his risk, he focused on building and developing players as people, not just footballers.
In summary, Remember the Titans provides the specific concepts of the public sector through the activities and Boone. Amidst many obstacles and challenges he faces, Boone takes the risk of accepting the coaching role. In the end, the film shows the fruits of Boone in coaching the players and transforming their lives.
References
Leary, R. (2013). “Remember the Titans: A Theoretical Analysis.” Journal of Arts and Humanities, Volume -2, No.-4. Regent University.
Velez, J, Hughes, E, & Way, P. (2012). “Remember the Titans: Five-Step Analysis.”
