What Is The Turning Point Of The Movie Remember The Titans

Remember the Titans tells the story of the T.C. Williams High school football team during the early 1970s. Based on a true story, the movie details the trials and tribulations of the team and their community of supporters as they attempt to set aside their racial differences. The movie begins with the current T.C. Williams head coach, Bill Yoast, being replaced by Herman Boone as a way to reduce racial tension between the white and black communities. It is important to note that coach Yoast is white and coach Boone is African-American. Initially, coach Boone did not want the head coaching job because he thought it was unfair to coach Yoast. However, after realizing how important it was to his community, he took the job and eventually convinces

coach Yoast to be his assistant coach.
The movie continues with the team getting ready to head to training campy at Gettysburg College.

During this scene, we are introduced to a white student named Gerry Bertier who expresses to coach Boone that he is not excited about playing with African-American players. Before riding the bus, coach Boone makes his first attempt to unite his team by mixing each bus with black and white students. As their days of training camp progress, black and white football players frequently clash in racially motivated conflicts, including some between captain Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell. However, there is a turning point when coach Boone provides the team with a motivational speech during their early morning run to the Gettysburg cemetery. At the next practice, Gerry and Julius show that they can cooperate with another. This is significant because they are the leaders of the team. After a rigorous training camp, the players achieve racial harmony and they show the makings of a very good football

team.
Although the team had separated their racial differences, members of their community had not. As such, when they come back from camp, they are confronted by a group of protestors. Additionally, when Gerry introduces his girlfriend to Julius, she refuses to shake his hand. After getting their first win, the team celebrates by going out to eat. Unfortunately, the owner of the restaurant does not allow the African-American players to eat his restaurant. For the first time, the white teammates got a firsthand look at what it is like for their fellow black teammates.
One scene that I thought played a significant role in in teaching a lesson in empathy was when coach Yoast’s daughter was being taken care of by coach Boone at his home. During this scene, a brick is thrown through one of coach Boone’s windows. Boon’s family and Yoast’s daughter are noticeably shaken from what happened. Concerned about his daughter, Yoast explains to Boone how his attitude and ego put his daughter in danger. Coach Boone expresses to Yoast that him and his family are subject to racial insensitivity on a daily basis. This conversation was eye opening to Yoast as he got a small taste of what is was like to live as an African-American.
Shortly before the first game of the season, coach Boone is informed that he will be fired if the team loses one game. There were many people who did not like that an African American was head coach and this was their way to get rid of him. However, the has an undefeated season and goes on to win the state championship. During the state semi-final game, coach Yoast believed that the referees were intentionally calling the game against his team. As such, he approached them and told the referees to call the game fair. In doing so, he lost his induction to the hall of fame. I considered such an act to be admirable because he essentially sacrificed everything he had longed worked for as a coach. He cared more about his players and ensuring that they would get a fair chance at earning what they worked all season for.
After winning the state semi-finals game, Gerry is injured in a car accident. Subsequently, his entire team rushes to the hospital to support him. One of the first people to visit Gerry is Julius. During this visit, Gerry’s mom who had once refused to meet Julius gave him her blessing to see her son. Upon seeing Julius, Gerry called him his brother and acknowledged that he was scared him because he was unfamiliar and different. Unfortunately, Gerry cannot play in the state championship as the accident left him paralyzed from the waist-down. Nevertheless, the Titans go on to win the state championship. Gerry dies 10 years later after getting hit by a drunk driver and the movie fast-forwards to all his friends, family, and teammates at his funeral. I
Although not necessarily a main character of the story, I feel that Louie Lastik played an important role in helping the team come together. Unlike the other characters, Louie never saw people as black or white. He displayed this in the very beginning when he was willing to sit and have lunch with his black teammates. When he did this, Julius asked Louie what he was doing and why he did not choose to sit with his white teammates. Louis answered with a line that has become iconic in the film: "Man, I don't have any people. I'm with everybody Julius." Although it took some time, the Titans and their community of supporters eventually learned to be like Louie.
The whole time I was watching Remember the Titans, I was left wondering why a school such as T.C. Williams was finally being desegregated. From one of our class handouts, we learned that Brown vs. Board of Education ruled that separate schools were unequal. This case ruling occurred in 1954 and this film was set in 1970s. Therefore, how is it that it took nearly 20 years for the school to finally become desegregated? Additionally, the Titans played against other schools that were still not desegregated. This left me wondering why schools were not abiding to the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling.
From watching the film, I was reminded of how far we have come as a country in terms of respecting and appreciating each other’s differences.

I could not imagine living in a world where I could not participate in an activity simply because of the way I looked. I could not imagine being judged because of my race. It seems silly that we once lived this way. In my opinion, the beauty of being humans is what we are all so different. As such, we should acknowledge and respect each other’s characteristics. Related to this idea, the movie helped me realize how important it is to empathize with others. You cannot judge someone and completely understand someone until you have walked in their

shoes.
As a clinician, I will ensure that I show my appreciation for my client’s and their culture. I hope that my therapy room will be as a safe space for my clients. This involves having a strong understanding of who my clients are and where they are coming from. I recognize that this will not be easy and will require extra effort, but I am sure it will be greatly appreciated by my clients.