1/7 - Bruin Teams Invited to Attend Sneak Preview of "Coach Carter"
NEWBERG, Ore. - Paramount Pictures, which is releasing its new movie, "Coach Carter", starring Samuel L. Jackson, on Jan. 14, has invited the George Fox University men's and women's basketball teams to attend a special "sneak preview" screening of the movie Monday night, Jan. 10, at 7:00 p.m. at the Century Eastport 16 Cinema in Portland.
Ken Carter, the boys' basketball coach at Richmond (Calif.) High School from 1997-2002 who is the focus of the movie, is a George Fox alum who played basketball for the Bruins under coach Sam Willard during the 1980-81 season. Of his George Fox experience, Carter said, "I was only there about a year-and-a-half, but I left there feeling like I was one of the smartest men in America."
Carter made national news in 1999 when he locked his undefeated varsity basketball team out of the gym in order to push them to improve their grades. Carter not only closed the Richmond High School gym but banned all basketball-related activities, and was prepared to cancel the entire season program because several players had not lived up to the classroom achievements they had agreed upon in signed contracts.
Although he no longer coaches at Richmond, Carter continues to be an advocate for Richmond's youth and is active in his community. He coaches the L.A. Rumble, a SlamBall basketball franchise, and oversees the Coach Carter Foundation, a nonprofit mentoring program for minority youths. In addition to coaching, he is owner/operator of Prime Time Publications, Prime Time Sports, and is the author of several books, including "101 Ways to Earn a Higher G.P.A.". He has received numerous local, state, and national awards for his leadership and educational advocacy.
According to the movie studio's official promotional material, "Paramount Pictures presents an MTV Films and a Tollin/Robbins Production of a Thomas Carter Film, 'Coach Carter', starring Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by Thomas Carter, from a screenplay by Mark Schwahn and John Gatins, the film is inspired by the life story of Ken Carter. Produced by Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and David Gale, and executive-produced by Van Toffler, Thomas Carter, Caitlin Scanlon and Sharla Sumpter, the film also stars Robert Ri'Chard, Rob Brown, Debbi Morgan and Ashanti. Paramount Pictures is a part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc., one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies and a leader in the production, promotion and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and music." The movie carries a PG-13 rating.
For more information on Coach Carter, read the feature story in the latest edition of the George Fox "Journal" on line at http://www.georgefox.edu/journalonline/archives/winter05/lockout.html.