Coach Carter Quotes

Timo Cruz: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some

of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - This quote is originally from the book A return to love: Reflections on the principles of a course in miracles by Ms Marianne Williamson.

Worm: [to Junior Battle] That's my n***a right there. If you was any bigga, you'd be my "bigga n***a".
Coach Ken Carter: Sit down. SIT DOWN!
Coach Ken Carter: N****r is a degrogatory term used to insult our ancestors. See, if a white man used it, you'd be ready to fight. Your using it teaches him to use it. You're saying it's cool.

Well, it's not cool, and when you're around me, I don't want to hear that shit! Are we clear?

Coach Ken Carter: [to the people in attendance at the board hearing] You really need to consider the message you're sending this boys by ending the lockout. It's the same message that we as a culture send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be

before they're out there breaking the law? I played ball here at Richmond High 30 years ago. It was the same thing then; some of my teammates went to prison, some of them even ended up dead. If you vote to end the lockout, you won't have to terminate me; I'll quit.

Coach Ken Carter: [Opens his door, and sees Timo covered in blood] Cruz?
Timo Cruz: [hysterical] I wanna come back, Coach.
Coach Ken Carter: What's going on?
Timo Cruz: I wanna come back on the team.
Coach Ken Carter: What the hell happened?
Timo Cruz: They shot

him... Renny. They shot Renny. I mean, we was just there. We was just there... everything was good.
Coach Ken Carter: Come inside. Come on.
Timo Cruz: Everything was good, Coach. I mean, you know...
Coach Ken Carter: Come inside, son. Come on.
Timo Cruz: You don't understand. I wanna come back on the

team. What do I gotta do to play?
Coach Ken Carter: Don't worry about that, son. Just come inside.
Timo Cruz: Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, okay?
Coach Ken Carter: Okay. Okay. I got you. Come on. Come on. You're back with us now.
Timo Cruz: I can't believe they shot him.
Coach

Ken Carter: Just come inside now, all right? Come on.
Timo Cruz: I just wanna be on the team.
Coach Ken Carter: [ushering him in the house] Come on. Come on.
Timo Cruz: Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it, okay?

Coach Ken Carter: Well let me tell you what I see, I see a system, that is designed for you to fail, now I know that all of you like stats so let me give you some, Richmond high only graduates 50% of it's students, and of those that do graduate only 6% go to college, Which tells me when I walk down these halls and look in your class rooms, maybe only one student is going to go to

college, Well damn Coach Carter if I ain't going to college where am I going to go? Well that's a great question and the answer for young African-American men in here is this, probably to prison, in this county 33% of black males between 18-24 get arrested, so look at they guy on your left, now look at the guy on your right, one of you is going to get arrested, growing up here in Richmond you're

80% more likely to go to prison than college, those are the numbers, those are some stats for ya ass, now I want you to go home and look at your life's tonight, look at your parents lives, and ask yourself do I want better, if the answer is yes I'll see you here tomorrow, and I promise you, I'll do everything in my power to get you to college, and to a better life.

Principal Garrison: Your intentions are good, Mr. Carter, but your methods are a bit extreme.
Coach Ken Carter: You painted an extreme picture. No one expects these kids to graduate, no one expects them to go to college.
Principal Garrison: So you take away basketball, the one area of their lives where they have some success?

Coach Ken Carter: Yes, ma'am.
Principal Garrison: And you challenge them academically?
Coach Ken Carter: Yes, ma'am!
Principal Garrison: And if they fail?
Coach Ken Carter: Then WE've failed!
Principal Garrison: Unfortunately, Mr. Carter, both you and I know that

for some of these kids, this basketball season will be the highlight of their lives.
Coach Ken Carter: Well, I think that's the problem. Don't you?