Louie Lastic is one of the more significantly inspirational characters, as he does not care from the start about race and skin colour. “Why don't you sit with your people? ” “What are you talking about, man, I have no people. ” - Julius and Louie discussing over lunch.
He openly converses with them, while the others seperate themselves from either skin colour because of all the racial disagreements that went on in that particular time, the 1970's.Coach Boone and Coach Yoast are also inspirational characters because, even though Coach Yoast did not agree with Coach Boone and his actions from the start, they showcase their friendship and teamwork through out the movie and become close friends. In 1971 in Alexandria Virgina, at the desegregated T. C.
Williams High School, African American head coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is hired to lead the school's football team.Coach Boone takes the coaching position from current head coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton), who has been nominated for the Virginia High School Hall of Fame, and who also later decides to move on to other coaching opportunities. In a show of respect, Boone offers an assistant coordinator coaching position to Yoast. Yoast at first refuses Boone's offer, but is then tempted to join after the white players pledge to boycott the team if he doesn't participate.
Dismayed at the prospect of the students losing their chances at scholarships, Yoast changes his mind and takes up the position of defensive coordinator.The African American and white athletes of the football team frequently clash in racially motivated conflicts at their football camp, including those between captain Gerry Bertier (Ryan Hurst) and Julius Campbell (Wood Harris). However, after forceful coaxing and rigorous athletic training by Boone, the team achieves both racial harmony and triumph. After returning from football camp, Boone is told by a member of the school board that if he loses even a single game, he will be fired. Subsequently, the Titans go through the season undefeated while battling racial prejudice, before slowly gaining support from the community.
Just before the state semi-finals, Yoast is told by a member of the school board that he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame after the Titans lose their game, essentially implying he wants Boone to get fired over his race. During the game, it becomes apparent that the referees are engaging in biased officiating against the Titans. Yoast warns the head official that he will go to the press and expose the scandal unless the game is called fairly. The Titans end up winning, but Yoast is told afterward that his actions have resulted in his loss of candidacy for the Hall of Fame.It personifies the power of respect, care and desire to win prevailing over racial prejudice. It showcases how individuals from diversified color, background and culture rose from the occasion and became lifelong friends.
The players, Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell, and the coaches, Herman Boone and Bill Yoast, are truly inspiring figures in the film. Set in 1971 Alexandria, Virginia; High school football is the town's most popular sport. The school board is under a court order to integrate the public schools. In the process of integration, tension amongst individual in school becomes high.This film is a perfect concoction of two elements: a coup of an underdog sports team and a successful assimilation of high school football team in general. The interaction of two coaches, a black and a white, is quite a challenging part.
Both Coach Boone and Coach Yoast had struggle to overcome their personal dilemma and worked for the betterment of their team. Although reluctant at first, Yoast accepted the demotion and conspired with Boone to produce a winning team! The sub-story between Gerry Bertier, Titan's white team captain, and Julius Campbell, an aptitude black player is also remarkable.It confirms that strong friendship can be forged despite the racial hatred plaguing the community. The Titans has become an inspiration that destroyed prejudice and intolerance; an icon of integration in Virginia during those troubled times.
The Film ClipThe group chose the Boot Camp portion of the film because it served as catalyst for change in the whole film plot. It in itself is a mini-film which highlights the events ranging from getting on the bus of the Titans to coming in to the camp in Gettysburg College full of indifference.
