Controversy surrounds high school basketball coach Ken Carter after he benches his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.
In 1999, Ken Carter, a successful sporting goods store
owner, accepts the job of basketball coach for his old high school in a poor
area of Richmond, CA, where he was a champion athlete. As much dismayed by the
poor attitudes of his players as well as their dismal play performance, Carter
sets about to change both. He immediately imposes a strict regime typified in
written contracts that include stipulations for respectful behavior, a dress
code and good grades as requisites to being allowed to participate. The initial
resistance from the boys is soon dispelled as the team under Carter's tutelage
becomes a undefeated competitor in the games.
However, when the overconfident team's behavior begins to
stray and Carter learns that too many players are doing poorly in class, he
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 to rely
on more than sports for their futures and eventually finds he has affected them
more profoundly than he ever expected.
