32 Inspiring Sports Coaches From Movie And TV History

Coaches inspire so many of us, even fictional coaches (or fictionalized versions of real coaches like Herb Brooks in Miracle). The coaches on this list make us want to believe, like Ted Lasso, or fight for every inch on the field like Tony D'Amato. We want to do our best because we want us to be the best. So without wasting any more time on this, let's get into the most inspiring coaches we can think of from movies and television.

Eric Taylor (Friday Night Lights)

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose." What else really needs to be said about Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) from Friday Night Lights? He's the kind of guy that doesn't need to get you to run through a wall with intimidation, he just wants everyone to work their hardest together, as a team. He's what every high school coach should be, when far too many aren't.

Gordon Bombay (The Mighty Ducks)

Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) might not have wanted to be on the bench at first, but like any great coach, he's as inspired by his players and they by him. You don't always need to be the best to get the best out of your team and when you are excited as they are, the world is your oyster, just like Coach Bombay in The Mighty Ducks.

Hayden Fox (Coach)

Hayden Fox (Craig T. Nelson) on Coach didn't have a knack for hiring brilliant assistant coaches, but he must have been able to inspire his players because he moved from a struggling college team to a successful one, and then onto the pros.

Herman Boone (Remember The Titans)

Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington in Remember The Titans, but based on a real person, was put into an impossible position as the first Black coach of a high school football team in a school's history. On top of that, he was replacing a popular white coach. But he made it work. He won with his players and he won his way.

Mr. Miagi (The Karate Kid)

You might not think of Mr. Miagi (Pat Morita) when it comes to coaches, as most people think of coaches of teams. Mr. Miagi is so much more than simply a sports coach to Daniel (Ralph Macchio). He not only makes him a great fighter, he makes him a great person. Daniel's entire life is informed by what he learned from Mr. Miagi.

Herb Brooks (Miracle)

Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell in Miracle) was the kind of coach who inspired his team by making himself the villain. When he took the job as the coach of the US Hockey Team before the 1980 Olympics, he knew that the disparate groups of players needed to come together. He succeeded by getting them to bond in their collective hatred of him. It's a hard line to walk, Brooks did it brilliantly.

Tony D'Amato (Any Given Sunday)

If for no other reason, Tony D'Amato in Any Given Sunday is on this list for that amazing speech he gives: "On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch, because we know when we add up all those inches that’s gonna make the fuckin' difference between winning and losing! Between livin' and dyin'!"

Richard Williams (King Richard)

While Will Smith's Oscar-winning performance in as Richard Williams in King Richard was overshadowed by his infamous slap during the ceremony, it's still an amazing bit of acting. Williams went against the grain in every way to raise two champion daughters with Venus and Serena and it's all up on the screen.

Lou Brown (Major League)

The manager of the Indians in Major League is Lou Brown, a washed-up tire salesman who is coaxed into coaching the team. Once he gets to the club though, he knows exactly what buttons to push for each player. It's not about rah-rah speeches, it's about connecting with every player in a different way.

Mickey Goldmill (Rocky)

Without Mickey (Burgess Meredith), Rocky never makes it to the end of the fight in Rocky. From his training to his tough love to his inspiration during the fight, Mick is everything to Rocky. One of the best boxing trainers in film history, if not the best.

Ted Lasso (Ted Lasso)

Is there any doubt that Ted Lasso would be on this list? He may be out of his depth with the Xs and Os of football (or soccer), but he is so good at inspiring his players that it doesn't really matter. He can rely on his assistants for the nitty gritty, he'll take the high road and get everyone to play as hard for him as any coach ever.

Morris Buttermaker (The Bad News Bears)

Things don't start all that great for Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau) in The Bad News Bears, but by the end of the movie, he's not only coached up his team of misfits, but he gets them to do things the right way. He may be a drunk, but he's our drunk.

Norman Dale (Hoosiers)

It's really hard to believe that the late Gene Hackman didn't win an Oscar for Hoosiers where he played Coach Norman Dale. There are so many moments that stick with you from his coaching style, but it's really summed up when he measures the height of the net and the free throw line in the giant arena, and shows it's the same as their little gym back home. Such a unique way to calm down his team.

Molly McGrath (Wildcats)

Girl Power! Wildcats is a movie that flies under the radar, even when discussing Goldie Hawn's amazing career. It's far from a perfect movie, but as a coach, she is spectacular. How often do you see a female coach succeed, especially in a sport like football? It's not common, that's for sure.

Johnny Lawrence (Cobra Kai)

At the beginning of Cobra Kai, no one would have guessed that Johnny Lawrence would turn into an inspiring coach. There is literally nothing inspiring about him. In the end he turned into an amazing coach.

Reggie Dunlop (Slap Shot)

There is only one player-coach on this list: Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) in Slap Shot. On the surface, he's not the most inspiring character, but like other coaches on this list, he knows exactly how to read each player and what he needs to do to get them to put forward their best foot - or skate, as the case may be.

Ernie "Coach" Pantusso (Cheers)

We don't know how good Coach from Cheers was because we only know him as a bartender. But he must have been inspiring because he inspired Sam Malone (Ted Danson) to hire him at the bar.

Annie Savoy (Bull Durham)

At first, you might think of Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon) as a coach, but that's exactly what she is. She does a better job inspiring the Bulls than their manager does, that's for sure. She works with the two most important players on the team and gets them both to exceed their own expectations.

Jimmy Dugan (A League Of Their Own)

Some other coaches on this list were just as inspired by the players as the players were by them. Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) is more inspired by his team than they are by him, but in the end, it's the combination of both that puts the Peaches over the top and gets them to that last out.

George Knox (Angels In The Outfield)

As a coach, you have to know when to pick your moments and in Angels In The Outfield, George Knox (Danny Glover) is great at it. He has a lot to deal with on the team and he knows just when to unload and inspire.

Patches O'Houlihan (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story)

Just when they needed him most, Patches O'Houlihan was there for the Average Joes. At least, in spirit he was there. Dying may not be the best way to inspire a team, but it worked, so for that he's on the list.

Gary Gaines (Friday Night Lights)

Before Coach Taylor took over in the TV show Friday Night Lights, Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) was the coach in the movie that inspired the show. He's a different kind of motivator, but he feels the pain in all his players and empathizes in a way that completely inspired everyone who played for him.

Jack Lengyel (We Are Marshall)

We Are Marshall is one of the most inspiring movies in a long time because the story it is based on is just so tragic. The movie isn't perfect, but Matthew McConaughey nails it as Coach Jack Lengyel, a man with the impossible task of completely rebuilding a football program after it is destroyed by a plane crash.

Ken Carter (Coach Carter)

Samuel L. Jackson inspires people in almost every role he plays. Playing a coach based on the real Ken Carter in Coach Carter, he is as inspiring as ever. The real Carter (as shown in the movie) made the impossible decision to suspend his all-star basketball team for their poor academic performance. Sometimes it's about inspiring kids to be better people, not just better players.

Stanley Sugerman (Hustle)

Adam Sandler takes a lot of heat for a lot of his movies for being silly and juvenile, but then every once in a while he puts in a performance like he does as a basketball scout and coach in Hustle. He is inspiring because he never gives up, no matter what is thrown at him, and his players (or player in this case) respond the same way.

Irv Blitzer (Cool Runnings)

Like the other movies on this list, Cool Runnings is based on a true story. However, it's a lot looser than the others, as much of the movie isn't historically accurate. Irv Blitzer (John Candy) deserves to be on this list because he was so inspiring in the movie, no matter his motives. He believed in the team.

Pop Fisher (The Natural)

Pop Fisher isn't always about being the loudest or the most gregarious coach, but all you really need from Wilford Brimley in The Natural is his knowing look and his infectiousness. He's a great manager and the kind of manager the Knights needed in the moment. That's all you can really ask for when you are as good as the players on that team.

Jimmy McGinty (The Replacements)

Gene Hackman played so many amazing roles over his incredible career, it's hard to remember each one, and one that often gets overlooked is as Coach Jimmy McGinty in The Replacements. Few coaches on this list had a harder job than McGinty, trying to coach up a bunch of washed-out players, and yet he knew exactly what he needed to do to make it all work

Chester Lee (Ladybugs)

Ladybugs isn't Rodney Dangerfield's best movie and it doesn't have any of his funniest one-liners, but still, Chester was an inspiring coach. Sure, he cheated to get there at first, but he redeems himself by the end.

Bud Kilmer (Varsity Blues)

Before Friday Night Lights, there was Varsity Blues. Okay, that they aren't the same, they aren't on the same level, and Coach Bud Kilmer is such a nut that he inspires all his high school players, just all in the wrong way. He's actually embarrassing, but it works and they win.

Ken Reeves (The White Shadow)

It's fair to criticize White Shadow as being the quintessential example of a "white savior" story, but coach Ken Reeves is still incredibly inspiring.

Jock Delaney (The Fish Saved Pittsburgh)

Jock Delaney isn't the reason that the team wins in The Fish Saved Pittsburgh, that would be Moses Guthrie, but Jock is still important and let's Moses be Moses.