“Greenland is covered with ice, and Iceland is very nice,” said Maria Ellingsen, Icelandic hockey trainer, and actress. Most people, with the exception of our TV free folks, would instantly recognize this line from Sam Weisman’s D2: The Mighty Ducks.

“This film should be cited as the source for many Americans’ knowledge of Nordic countries,” said senior Mathew Hayes. “Sports movies tend to be marketed towards kids, but even as I grow up, I still consider this quote to be factual.”

Along with geography, sports movies have many lessons to teach.

Classics like Major League and Rocky show us the importance of hard work, while others focus on the merit of sportsmanship, be it Rudy or Radio.

These are both great lessons to teach children, but sports films often focus on issues much larger than those faced on the field.

A great example of a more serious sports film is the 2000 film Remember the Titans. This movie often receives credit for being the best sports film of all time. It is loved by children and adults alike due to its light presentation of a serious matter.

The film takes place in Alexandria, VA, during the early 1970s. The de-segration of schools was a hot topic, with both sides feeling nervous about the results of mixed education.

Remember the Titans captures this feeling well, showing representations of families on both sides. The link between the two is fear.

Schools have been desegregated for over 30 years, but blatant racism is still rampant today. This can be seen in cafeterias, recess yards, and especially sports teams.

This movie provides a positive example, because it does not only talk about the issues, it also gives examples of ways to help with problems. It was not the first of its kind.

A League of Their Own, although dealing with a separate issue, came out in 1992.

It focused on the treatment of women during the 1940s, especially in regards to World War II.

Women were forced to work in factories, taking over many responsibilities typically considered to be masculine.

One of these categories was entertainment.

Major League Baseball was nearly forced into bankruptcy during World War II. Candy manufacturer Walter Harvey came up with the idea to create an all women’s baseball league.

The movie focuses a lot upon the actual baseball games. Its message must be teased out a bit more. The players are not being outwardly ridiculed, but are constantly disrespected. This is seen when fans whistle at the athletes, or even the fact that they have to wear dresses while playing.

The ballplayers show resilience, much of it due to group support. The moral of the film calls for team bonding and an ability to escape social norms.

The film endorses equality of sexes, and encourages women to be strong, no matter what the circumstance. Sports films are a great medium to do this type of work.

Athletics allow for a clear split between good and evil. There is the team that everyone is cheering for, and then the other guys.

I do not wish to say that sports films are simple because of this dynamic, but the binary setup of most sports helps the audience figure out which characters will be providing the social commentary.

Simplicity within a film is often considered to be a negative aspect, but when movies are trying to do the work of social justice, this is often what is needed.