Movie Analysis – Glory Road (2006)

Movie Analysis – Glory Road (2006)
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Movie Analysis – Glory Road (2006)
Synopsis
Directed by James Gartner, Glory Road (2006) tells the story of the Texas Western college basketball team (Miners) that went on to win the NCAA national championship under the leadership of Coach Don Haskins. Without a budget to recruit new players, Haskins decides to look for black and talented basketball players at a time when playing them was frowned upon. Although he faced many stumbling blocks, Haskins managed to recruit seven black players into his team, assembling a team that would overcome all the odds to win the NCAA national championship. Glory Road is an inspirational movie that offers many leadership and teamwork lessons that people from all walks of life can learn.
Role of Leadership
Leadership plays an instrumental role in the movie as it is the main factor contributing to the basketball team's formation and success. Coach Haskins' role in the team's success in the many games and the NCAA national championship final is immense. At a time when college basketball was characterized by racism and no black players were allowed to play, Haskins decided to set up a team comprising primarily of black basketball players. His belief in the team makes all the difference as the team members started believing they could win games and eventually the championship final.
Haskins demonstrates both authoritarian and democratic leadership styles. According to Northouse (2018), authoritarian leaders exert influence and control and make it clear that they are in charge. They determine the tasks and procedures for the group members (Northouse, 2018). Before starting training the basketball players, Haskins made it clear that he was in charge and outlined the players' rules. He mentions that things would be done his way, banning the boys from drinking alcohol and having girlfriends. The autocratic leadership style allowed the team to be disciplined and to win games. Haskins later demonstrates democratic leadership when they were losing in the middle of a game. He allows the boys to play their game. As noted by Northouse (2020), a democratic leader treats followers as capable of carrying out tasks on their own. The democratic leadership style demonstrated by the coach allowed the team to win the game.
Reinforcing Group Identity
Group identity is a vital factor in the success of a team. According to Reis and Puente-Palacios (2019), team identity contributes to team satisfaction and performance. Given this understanding, reinforcing group identity is a key factor that can determine a team's success. Several methods are evident in the movie that reinforce group identity, both verbal and nonverbal. Before each game, the team holds hands together and shouts, "one two three, Miners!" This act comprises both verbal and non-verbal acts, and it is an incredible show of togetherness and plays an instrumental role in reinforcing group identity. Another non-verbal method of reinforcing group identity from the movie comprises dancing and music. The players dance and enjoy playing music in the bus as they travel to play away games (Gartner, 2006). Other methods of reinforcin...