Coach Carter

Synopsis: In 1999, Ken Carter accepts the job of basketball coach for his old high school in a poor area of Richmond, CA. As much dismayed by the poor attitudes of his players as well as their dismal play performance, Carter sets about to change both. He imposes a strict regime typified in written contracts that demand respectful behavior, a dress code and good grades for players. Any initial resistance is soon dispelled as the team under Carter's tutelage becomes a undefeated competitor. However, when the overconfident team's behavior begins to stray with too many doing poorly in class, Carter takes immediate action. To the outrage of the team, the school and the community, Carter cancels all team activities and locks the court until the team shows acceptable academic improvement. In the ensuing debate, Carter fights to keep his methods, determined to show the boys that they need good values for their futures and eventually finds he has affected them more profoundly than he ever expected.
Director(s): Thomas Carter
Production: Paramount Pictures
  3 wins & 15 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Metacritic:
57
Rotten Tomatoes:
64%
PG-13
Year:
2005
136 min
$67,169,549
Website
9,032 Views


Yeah! Nice job! Nice pass!

St. Francis High School

basketball phenom

Ty Crane,

who they recruited just last year,

is widely held as

the next LeBron James.

We simply know him

as ''The Crane.''

Come on.

Come on, y'all!

Timo, let's go man, come on.

Yeah, whatever.

Where you at? Where you at?

Pick him up! Pick him up!

- Hey, son.

- Hey.

Right here, right here.

- Blue ball!

- Good D, baby!

- Damn!

- What the hell are you doing, y'all?

- You took three steps this way.

- Yo, l put my fist up, man.

Yo, homey, look where you're throwing

the ball, man. Damn.

- Get your man!

- l knew it. l knew it.

Yeah!

St. Francis is up by 22.

Stay out of my way, b*tch.

l own you.

- Oh, hell no!

- B*tch!

Let's go! Let's go!

Oh, no. Come on, guys, stop that!

- Let me go!

- Hey! Hey!

l'm good. Get off me!

Get off me, get off me!

That's it! Game's over!

Game's over!

Crane. Great game, great game.

Tell everyone out there what it

feels like to be the next LeBron James.

LeBron James?

l'm the only Ty Crane.

All right, you heard it here first,

''the only Ty Crane.''

Why do all the benchwarmers

always got something to say?

We watching the damn game,

that's why.

- You got a good view, huh?

- Yeah.

Ty Crane outscored

our whole team by himself.

- Wonder how that happened.

- We had nothing but 32 points.

l got 1 2 of them.

What did you get, Kenyon?

Just shut up, dog.

The Crane swooped down on you

and delivered a basket of beat-down.

He clowned you, dog.

- Yeah, you better shut the hell up.

- He had you on lock the whole game.

Lyle, why don't you shut your mouth

before l close it for good.

You didn't do sh*t either

the whole game.

What, homey?

l will slap the taste out your mouth!

- Can we all just get along?

- Shut your little ass up!

- You didn't even play!

- That's what l'm talking about.

- Shay, pass the ball, dog!

- You got two points in 1 6 minutes,

- that's why coach got rid of your ass.

- Exactly!

Timo, you was in the whole time,

you never even touched the rock.

You didn't do sh*t.

You might as well--

- Who was you passing the ball to?

- You were playing and didn't do sh*t!

Kenny Ray Carter, Richmond

High School all-American, 1 9 72.

Good to see you, sir.

l was really happy to see you

in the stands tonight.

l have to tell you, sir,

l haven't made up my mind yet.

As l've told you,

it's time for me to step down.

Last few years

have been really tough.

Well, losing's hard, sir.

This isn't about

losing games, Kenny.

l can't get them to show up

for school, for practice.

l can't get parents involved, and l'm

done chasing kids in the streets

and pulling them into the gym.

Yeah, it's a tough job.

Richmond is a tough little city.

When l saw you here tonight,

l thought, ''l got him. He's in.''

Well, actually,

l was here for another reason.

My son plays for St. Francis.

He does?

- Which kid was he?

- Well, you didn't see him.

- He's a freshman. He didn't play.

- That's great. Great school.

What, you wanna go?

- Hey!

- Lyle, bring it!

Let him go. You think everybody's

scared of you? l ain't scared of you!

Cruz, chill, man. Why you gotta be

trying to act all hard all the time, man?

God, l'm sick of you, man!

You know, that school was rough

when l went there.

lt's way beyond that now.

Well, then, just forget about it.

Don't even discuss it again.

l can't quite do that. Coach officially

offered me the job tonight.

The clock's ticking.

And when you say ''offering job,''

there's usually money involved.

Yeah, there might be

a thousand bucks in it for me.

For five months of work?

Oh, well, you can't say no to that.

And the team, it's so bad.

Those boys,

they're so angry and undisciplined.

And besides, you know,

you don't have the time.

You're trying to open up

a second store.

Exactly, l don't have the--

Hell, l don't have any time.

And you promised to take

your girlfriend to Mexico.

And l'm definitely

keeping that promise.

There's no way

l'm not going to Mexico

and hanging out on the beach

with you in your bikini.

l can't take that job.

So when do you start?

- You should've spoken to me first.

- Why?

- lt was a personal choice for me.

- So, what happens to me?

You still gonna come to my games?

l'll probably miss most of

your games, Damien. l'm sorry.

Then l'll go to Richmond

and play for you.

No.

Well, why not?

- Dad, you've always been my coach.

- This is a great school, Damien.

lt puts you in a great position

for college.

Dad, l'm a freshman!

Just because l'm coaching

at Richmond,

it doesn't change our plans

for your future, all right?

Yo, my man, l need a vial, man.

You got that good dope? How much?

You forgot to bring your lD,

didn't you?

- l forgot it.

- Every day.

Good morning. Ken Carter.

- Thanks.

- Here you go, sir.

Hey, yo, what's up?

- Nice to see you again, Mr. Carter.

- You too, ma'am.

lf the offer still stands,

l'd like to coach the team.

Well, l hope you're up for the task.

These young men need discipline.

The job comes with a $1 ,500 stipend

and a major time commitment

for the next four months.

- l accept.

- Great.

We're thrilled to have you.

Gentlemen, l hate to be abrupt,

but l do have a budget meeting

l need to run to.

Mr. Carter, is there anything

you need from us?

Well, l just need about

- l'm all set.

- Ray, would you see to it

that Mr. Carter--?

Coach Carter gets these copies?

- Will do.

- Gentlemen.

l'm not saying this is

not gonna be a challenge,

but, Kenny, you know the deal here.

Just keep in mind,

these are good boys.

Guys! Guys!

Guys!

Now, as you know, l've been-- Hey!

You know l've been looking

for a new coach

to take over for me this season.

This is Ken Carter.

He went to Richmond.

He was a two-sport all-American.

Still holds records

for scoring, assists, steals.

Basketball scholarship to

George Mason University.

We're lucky to have Coach Carter.

Now, let's give him

the respect he's due.

- They're all yours, coach.

- Thank you, sir.

Good afternoon, young men.

As Coach White said, l'm your

new basketball coach, Ken Carter.

l guess l need to speak louder

so you can hear me.

l'm Ken Carter,

your new basketball coach.

We hear you, dog.

But we can't see you.

The glare from your

big, black-ass head

is hella shiny, man.

Damn, do you buff it?

Oh, you got jokes to go along

with that ugly jump shot of yours, huh?

First of all, if you need to know

my credentials,

as Coach White said,

they're on the wall there behind you.

Secondly, if basketball practice

starts at 3, you are late as of 2:55.

You, shooting the ball.

What's your name, sir?

Jason Lyle, but l ain't no sir.

You're not a sir.

Well, are you a madam?

- Little b*tch. B*tch.

- As of now, you are a sir.

So are the rest of you.

''Sir'' is a term of respect.

And you will have my respect

until you abuse it.

Mr. Lyle, how many games

did you guys win last season?

Like four wins, 22 losses.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

Mark Schwahn

Mark Schwahn (born July 5, 1966) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He is best known as creator, head writer and executive producer of the WB/CW drama series One Tree Hill. more…

All Mark Schwahn scripts | Mark Schwahn Scripts

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