Review of When the Game Stands Tall (2014) by Brandi F — 23 Aug 2014

For the De La Salle Spartans winning had become a given. If it was Friday night then victory was only a couple of hours away. Eventually the winning streak surpassed the 150 game mark.

For years Coach Ladoucer (Coach Lad) had been instilling into his players that they were more than the game. Who they were off of the field was just as important as how they played on the field. He taught his men that they were a team. They learned to stand tall together. They learned to watch each other's back.

The unity on the team impacted the entire community. There were literally kids that had grown up at De La Salle who had never seen their team lose. But eventually cracks began to develop. Other teams began to accuse them of cheating. Players started seeking their own limelight and the hard earned unity was eroding by the minute.

The the day that they thought would never happen happened. The lost. They lost the game, they lost a player and they came very close to losing their beloved coach.

When The Game Stands Tall is a movie about winning. Not just a football game, but at life. The inspiration of the Spartans isn't really about how they managed to win so many games. What is truly inspiring is how they learned to stand tall together after they fell from their lofty heights.

If you're a player, parent or fan you need to go see this movie. In an age of sports scandals this movie will remind you that the game that we all love has the potential to impact our lives in a good way. When The Game Stands Tall is what football and team sports in general should be about.

"Therefore, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall!" ~ I Corinthians 10: 12.