By Stephen Levitt ‘22, Sports Writer

For sports fans everywhere, the last couple of weeks have been miserable. Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, all sports leagues have come to a screeching halt including the NBA, MLB, and March Madness. All that we have left is binge-watching old television shows, but Newark Academy athletes are here to help! Here are some NA athlete suggestions for sports movies to keep all sports fans cheering through quarantine.

The Sandlot 

The classic baseball movie created in 1993 focuses on the backyard adventures of a young friend group. The movie starts when Scottie Smalls, the new kid to the neighborhood, befriends a group of baseball players. The group has lots of fun going on crazy and funny adventures together and playing tons of baseball. This is until one day when Smalls borrows his stepdad’s Babe Ruth signed baseball which is accidentally hit over the fence; it lands in the neighbor’s backyard which is guarded by a vicious dog. The group of friends must work to defeat the dog and retrieve the ball before the stepdad notices the ball is gone. The Varsity Baseball captain, Lucas Rich ‘20 remembers The Sandlot as his favorite movie, saying “It is the classic backyard baseball story,” and the “childhood movie I grew up on.” For anyone looking for a childhood classic and a funny, bizarre story, The Sandlot is a must-see.

Remember The Titans 

The Walt Disney production Remember The Titans, takes place in 1971 Virginia in a community where high school football is prized and racism is prevalent. When the government orders the desegregation of high schools, the T.C. Williams High School appoints Herman Boone, an African-American coach, to lead the high school team. The newly-appointed coach and the T.C. Williams High School football team embark on their first season as a racially integrated team. Based on the actual events of 1971, the teams become a symbol of unity as they learn to depend on each other and trust each other. Varsity Golf captain Andrew Wilf ‘20 recalls Remember The Titans as his favorite movie and he says he likes it because “it talks about the team coming together.” 

If you are looking for an inspirational, meaningful and touching movie, Remember The Titans is the movie to watch.

Miracle

Miracle, a Walt Disney movie created in 2004, is based on the true story of 1980’s U.S. Men’s Hockey Team. College coach Herb Brooks is hired to help put together and coach the U.S. team. After an embarrassing early loss against an inferior team, Brooks must work to unite his team of college stars as they are facing a stronger match, the Soviet team. With his unique coaching style, Brooks is able to unify his squad and win the gold medal. This U.S. Hockey Team became a symbol of patriotism for Americans during the Cold War. Varsity Tennis captain, Phillip Kim ‘20, remembers Miracle as his favorite movie, as he describes it as “a classic underdog movie,” and said, “it seemed pretty surreal for them to win with so many odds against them.” 

Although we are not able to cheer for our favorite teams this season, there certainly are plenty of movies to help you stay motivated and inspired until the sports leagues return.