Coach Carter

Coach Ken Carter:
What is your deepest fear?

Timo Cruz:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our dark that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people don't feel insecure around you.We are all meant to shine as children do. Its not just in some of us; its in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsiously give other people to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Coach Ken Carter:
When we step on the floor every second that clock is ticking we are pedal to the metal, we run the ball we preasure the ball and most importantly we controll the tempo of the game, we make them play Richmond Oiler ball.

I'm not a teacher. I'm the new basketball coach

[Timo Cruz tries to punch Coach Carter, but Carter blocks it and slams him against the wall]

Timo Cruz:
Teachers ain't supposed to touch students.

Coach Carter:
I'm not a teacher. I'm the new basketball coach.

Coach Carter:
You, shooting the ball, what's your name sir?

Jason Lyle:
Jason Lyle, but I ain't no sir.

Coach Carter:
Oh, well are you a madam?

[team laughs]

Coach Carter:
Well... not quite your storybook ending huh. Not for us anyway. But you men played like champions... you never gave up. And champions hold their heads high. What you achieved goes way beyond the win-loss column or what’s gonna be written on the front page of the sports section tomorrow. You’ve achieved something that some people spend their whole lives trying to find... what you achieved is that ever elusive victory within, and gentlemen... I am so proud of you. 4 months ago when I took the job at Richmond I had a plan.. that plan failed. I came to coach basketball players and you became students. I came to teach boys, and you became men. And for that I thank you. If someone walked in this door right now and offered me the coaching job at any school in the state of California, you know which school I’d choose?

Worm:
St. Francis?

Kenyon:
Richmond?

Coach Carter:
Rich-what?

Whole team:
Richmond.

Coach Carter:
Rich-what?

Whole Team:
Richmond!

Coach Carter:
Where we from?

Whole Team:
Richmond!!

Coach Carter:
What's my home town?

Whole Team:
Richmond!!!

Coach Carter:
What we love?!

Whole Team:
RICHMOND!

Coach Carter:
Rich-whaaat?!

Whole Team:
RICHMOND!!!

Jason Lyle:
[to Coach Carter as he walks into the gym] Sir, they can cut the chains off the door, but they can't make us play.

Damien Carter:
We've decided we're going to finish what you've started, sir.

Worm:
Yeah, so leave us be, coach. We've got sh*t to do, sir.

Coach Carter:
What's your deepest fear?

Worm:
Why he keep saying that? What's your deepest fear? What's that mean?

Principle Garret:
Your job, Mr. Carter, is to teach these boys basketball. I suggest you start doing your job.

Ken Carter:
Your job is to educate these students- I suggest you start doing yours.

Kenyon Stone:
[running suicides] Yo, how many we gonna do?

Coach Carter:
Sir.

Kenyon Stone:
Yo, sir, how many we gonna do?

Coach Carter:
Let's see how many you can do in... one hour and seven minutes.

Coach Carter:
I end up taking a road trip to the suburbs where I find my drunk ass point guard on top of Daddy's little princess!

Worm:
Actually, I was on the bottom, coach, she was on the top.

Coach Carter:
[talking to his players] "What is wrong with you? What's wrong with all of you? Since when is winning not enough, playing hard not enough? No, you have to humiliate your opponents. Taunt'em after every score. You won 4 games last season. FOUR! What gives you the right to the game that I love with trash talk and taunting? What gives you the right to wear Richmond on your chest and act like punks?

Coach Carter:
So? You can't show some class? Act like a champion? You owe me 500 push-ups a piece. On the line, NOW!

Coach Carter:
[to the people in attendance at the board hearing] You really need to consider the message you're sending these boys by ending the lockout. It's the same message that we as a culture send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be before they're out there breaking the law? I played ball here at Richmond High 30 years ago. It was the same thing then; some of my teammates went to prison, some of them even ended up dead. If you vote to end the lockout, you won't have to terminate me; I'll quit.

Coach Carter:
I came to coach basketball players, and you became students. l came to teach boys, and you became men.

Coach Carter:
In this state you're 80% more likely to go to prison than college.

Coach Carter:
"Nigga" is a derogatory term used to insult our ancestors. See, if a white man used it, you'd be ready to fight. Your using it teaches him to use it. You're saying it's cool. Well, it's not cool, and when you're around me, I don't want to hear that sh*t! Are we clear?

Coach Carter:
These students are student athletes. "Student" comes first.

Jason Lyle:
You said we're a team. One person struggles, we all struggle. One person triumphs, we all triumph.