"They can say anything they like. ANNE M. PETERSON January 13, 1999. Carter's family had to move to the not-so-peaceful city of Richmond in California. Carter, now 44, never saw all the publicity coming. Its as simple as that.. VIEW ALL. Teacher Jim Lynch, who has taught several of Carter's players, said he would begin using it as a motivator for other students in his classroom. first contributor? Even though Carter's parents wanted him to focus on his studies, he eventually developed a passion for basketball. ``I believe they can do it, said Davis, wearing a black and white Oilers T-shirt the players gave him. But his family later moved to the troubled city of Richmond, north of Oakland, California. We present them here for purely educational purposes. When he took the reins, the school's basketball team wasn't in much better shape than its student achievement record, which ranked in the bottom ten percent of California high schools. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. All Rights Reserved MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. In 2005 he announced plans to return to coaching in Richmondthis time at the junior high school level. But Carter isnt through yet. The 2005 film, based on his life as the coach of 'Richmond High,' became a box-office hit. Richmond High--once considered among the worst in the West Contra Costa Unified School District--was the only one of the campuses this year to win a state performance award, Carter says. CLICK HERE TO There are no prayer requests On 2/7, the Richmond varsity basketball team lost their away non-conference game against Hercules (CA) by a score of 85-54. He only did what he felt was right. The film, a Paramount Pictures/MTV Films production directed by Thomas Carter (Swing Kids, Save the Last Dance), stars Jackson as the coach. at this time. These Class Members have made Carter turned things around in a hurry. Down 28-20 to No. Apart from owning a sports-goods shop, he invested in a block of downtown buildings in his home community, where he later launched a barbershop and a hair salon. His students, he added, "do the math real quick." regarding this website, please contact: All content 2000-2023 RealGM, L.L.C. The movie Coach Carter is a 2005 film based on the 1998-1999 basketball season of the Richmond High School Oilers in Richmond, California, and the actions of the team's coach, Ken Carter, to enrich the lives of his players. And I think we did that.. Feb 26 @ VCU, Richmond (15-12) Loss vs. Virginia Commonwealth, 57-64, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. The Richmond High School Oilers played their first game Tuesday night after their coach imposed a week-long exile . Billy Richmond III is a four-star small forward in the 2024 class. Married and with a son coming up on high school and college, Carter was proud of these accomplishments but looked to wider horizons. 1 priority during his campaign for governor. In March 2020, Carter visited 'Richmond High' to help out the basketball team of the 'Nystrom Elementary School.' On 1/27, the Richmond varsity basketball team won their away conference game against Hercules (CA) by a score of 70-69. Or write about sports? LEARN MORE OR TO VOLUNTEER 9/25/2017, "I love your service and will continue to support you." San Diego Union-Tribune, January 13, 2005, p. E1. We cannot provide this service without your support. He studied American government, in preparation for a test Friday. Gray Davis showed up for the teams triumphant return to the court in 1999, school officials skipped the event. To believe that any of 2023's neo-contenders can become bonafide champs over the next few months is to believe that a once-in-a-quarter-century occurrence is about to transpire. "It was good to go to a small-town city like Newberg. "My family is extremely close." Select the fourth team from the drop down menu. Brother, Spouse, Son, Daughter, Friend . Selected awards: San Francisco Bay Area Entrepreneur of the Year, 2001; Torchbearer, 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Salt Lake City, UT; CityFlight magazine award as one of Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area; NAACP Impact Citizen of the Year; Leadership Award from San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; California Unsung Heroes Award. RUHS / Richmond High School - Class of 1999. As he had told the Chronicle's Steele several years earlier, "Raise the standards, and the kids will meet them.". The new level of discipline Carter demanded worked wonders on the court. In 2005, he announced he would return as the junior high-school coach at 'Richmond High.'. Although the varsity team finished a disappointing 6-13 this year, Carter and his players have their eyes set on a higher prize. Many said they were pleasantly surprised at all the attention. Matoaca girls basketball coach Kim Pond told her team at halftime that when they won, it was going to be an awesome story to tell. Still, a national spotlight hit Carter in 1999, when, as the head basketball coach at Richmond High School in Richmond, Calif., he locked out his entire undefeated team upon discovering 15 of his 45 players were not honoring contracts they had signed. You have benefitted so many high school alumni in organizing their class reunions." The Oilers were 13-0 at the time of the lockout, and Carters decision cost the program two forfeits and the possibility of an unbeaten season. He set all-time school records for scoring, assists, and steals, all of which remained standing when he took over as Richmond's coach 20 years after graduating. Coach Carter cares about you, he said. The . Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 1 seeding in regional playoffs, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. On 12/10, the Richmond varsity basketball team lost their away tournament game against Tracy (CA) by a score of 61-52. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 6:01AM. If you have any questions or comments The film also used some sub-plots from the CBS drama 'The White Shadow.' ', In 2002, he founded the non-profit organization 'Coach Ken Carter Foundation,' which helps young people from underprivileged communities by providing them adequate educational opportunities and promoting student-related projects. He took them on field trips to the offices of high-tech firms in the Silicon Valley, across San Francisco Bay 60 miles from Richmond, trying to impress on them that despite all the headlines that came with sports stardom, education was a surer route to success. We are not making it all up in our heads, thinking well of Kris Dunn because we want to: he has real talents to bring, and a body that for the time being will allow him to use them. The Richmond High School Store allows you to customize Oilers clothing and merch. But the school says it has begun programs to help its students win scholarships and expects the number of its graduates entering four-year schools to rise steadily. The movie featured Samuel L. Jackson as Carter, while his son, Damien, was portrayed by Robert Ri'chard. The message was received. Carter parlayed his business knowledge into success back home in Richmond, where he owned four businesses at one time - a sporting goods store, a T-shirt business, a hair salon and a barbershop. After a week, Carter relented, although several players were once again benched later in the season. I was only there about a year-and-a-half, but I left there feeling like I was one of the smartest men in America.". James Harden, Rockets Serious About Reunion; Sixers Currently 'Unconcerned', RealGM Radio: Mo Dakhil On The Season So Far (Mar 2023), Lester Quinones, Warriors Agree To 10-Day Contract. Since 1998, Carter, a walk-on coach whose primary work is owning a local sports supply store and barbershop, has made his players sign an uncompromising academic contract. Feb 8, Richmond (13-9) Win vs. Old Dominion, 77-70, 23. "We re-defined the word student-athlete tonight." VIEW ALL One educator who worked with Carter later described him to San Francisco Chronicle writer Chip Johnson as "a little country bumpkin who has a lot of stories and a unique way of telling them." Praise for Carter crossed the liberal-conservative divide, with both Democratic California governor Gray Davis and right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh weighing in with commendations for his stance. All the players from the 1999 team are in it - theyre in the crowd during games - and it really does a good job of telling the story.". Carter agreed to take the Richmond coaching post only on the condition that he be given full control over the basketball program. We are so appreciative! In the face of criticism from both parents and school officials, he benched his entire 45-player roster on the varsity, junior varsity and freshman squads. Richmond High's captain carried his team and never let up, regardless of the score. We would like to hear from you. What are we teaching kids if were not thoughtful of the consequences of our actions? By January of 1999, perennial loser Richmond had amassed a 13-0 record and was regarded as a contender for the state championship. He didn't study game films for the team's next opponent. Playing against a noticeably larger . Then 17, he had lost motivation after his older brother Harold was shot to death on the streets of Richmond. Do you have a blog? Classreport holds a special place in the hearts of our users: Would you like a sneak peek at anon-functioning view of The Office? ``It was good to be back on the court, said 6-foot-8 senior starter Courtney Anderson. I got calls at home, at school, at my job--and they were all negative, he said. But they signed contracts with the coach back in September to maintain a 2.3 GPA, and they were falling short. George Fox alum Ken Carter wasnt looking for fame or even attention. Hollinger & Duncan: Contender or Pretender? I show these boys the facts, how 55% of all inner-city school kids think theyre good enough to play professional sports, he says. Perhaps the most supportive of coach Carters lockout were the parents, who were excited to see their kids hitting the books with such zeal. Today, Carter will taste yet another victory when he enrolls his own son Damien at the West Point Military Academy. He said simply, ``I was in the library. After graduation, the coach stuck by him. Dec 29, Richmond (5-4) Win vs. Florida Atlantic, 76-65, 10. They were a massive disappointment, yes, but also so transcendent for brief moments. Jan 18 @ Old Dominion, Richmond (8-8) Loss vs. Old Dominion, 65-77, 17. All content 2000-2023 RealGM, L.L.C. Nov 28, Richmond (3-1) Win vs. Radford, 86-55, 5. 5/5/2018, "THANKYOU so much for handling this for us! Jan 23, Richmond (10-8) Win vs. Virginia Commonwealth, 68-64, 19. Please read Our Story, ClassTraQ 11.003 Software Copyright 2003 - 2017 The self-proclaimed education governor called Carter a hero. 1 Thomas Dale held true to its principles. Carter hopes the film, which also stars Robert Richard, Rob Brown, and singer Ashanti, sends a message to student-athletes around the world. Richmond Oilers Varsity Boys Basketball Richmond, CA FOLLOW TEAM 22-23 V. Basketball Home Schedule Roster Standings Rankings Photos News More / Basketball All-Time Roster Richmond Basketball History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 13 players) Head Coach: Richard Jefferson On 12/13, the Richmond varsity basketball team lost their home conference game against Bethel (Vallejo, CA) by a score of 99-46. Although the season eventually resumed--with the team finishing 19-5 and losing in the second round of the district playoffs--Carter fell under harsh criticism from school officials and parents. We exposed them to the real world of business, taking them on trips to Silicon Valley. Along with Carter and Oliver, who were not among the students prompting the lockout, are two players who will attend UC Berkeley and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. On 12/9, the Richmond varsity basketball team lost their neutral tournament game against San Marin (Novato, CA) by a score of 93-58. Page Hits: 5,182, Stay Tuned to This Space for Reunion Details! Tools and Resources Used by Real General Managers. One day, when his squads showed up for practice, they found the gym door locked and a sign posted outside. His records for scores, assists, and steals remained unbroken until he joined the team as the coach 20 years after he graduated from the institute. John M. Glionna is a former national reporter for the Los Angeles Times, based in Las Vegas. 2-ranked Manchester at halftime on Monday afternoon at Norfolk Scope in the Region 6A girls basketball final, No. The Richmond school board questioned whether he had the right to unilaterally lock the gym facility and reopened it at one point. ADD NEW Post your messages here. Jan 20 @ American, Richmond (9-8) Win vs. American, 66-63, 18. James Harden, Rockets Serious About Reunion; Sixers Currently 'Unconcerned', RealGM Radio: Mo Dakhil On The Season So Far (Mar 2023), Lester Quinones, Warriors Agree To 10-Day Contract. Carter once again demonstrated his commitment to education in 2000 when he rode a human-powered kick scooter 90 miles from Richmond to Sacramento during a state school funding debate. All eyes were on the unbeaten team, as well as on coach Ken Carter, who benched his squad last week when it didnt live up to its promised academic standards. . ``And it felt good that everyone was supporting what our coach did.. Glionna left The Times in 2015. Dec 5 @ William & Mary, Richmond (3-3) Loss vs. William & Mary, 55-56, 7. ``I didnt punish anyone, Carter explained. Please Support Our Class Website in 2023. The reality is there are only four real contenders. Personal Website So despite his team's 13-0 record, Coach Ken Carter locked out. The suspension wasn't the first time Carter has had a positive effect on his players' academics. RICHMOND - Courtney Anderson stuck to the game plan for the undefeated Richmond High School Oilers: He went home and studied. His son, Damien, later broke his records for assists and steals. A brick was thrown through the window of Carter's sporting-goods shop, and a passer-by spat on his car. Military Academy' in West Point, New York. On 1/10, the Richmond varsity basketball team lost their away conference game against Kennedy (Richmond, CA) by a score of 76-64. "I think it was just something America needed to see," he says. After graduating high school, Carter attended the 'George Fox University' in Oregon on a scholarship. Dec 18 (Neutral), Richmond (4-3) Win vs. Centenary (LA), 71-53, 8. "At first I was upset [about the lockout]," she told the Chronicle's David Steele. But my goal was to get these boys into college, where they could learn to become leaders and come back to this community as productive citizens., Olivers father recalls his sons frustration at seeing the entire team sidelined. family-owned business and yet freely host over a million class websites. Feb 13 @ VCU, Richmond (14-10) Win vs. Virginia Commonwealth, 78-72, 25. VIEW ALL MEMBER WEBSITES, Personal Website Long before Samuel L. Jackson played him on the big screen, the real "Coach Carter" was teaching his students the value of hard work and discipline at Richmond High School. In 1997, Carter accepted an offer to coach the high school boys' basketball team at his alma mater. Do you have a sports website? Shari Carr Brief BiographiesBiographies: Katie Burke (1953) Biography - Personal to Galeazzo Ciano (19031944) Biography, Copyright 2023 Web Solutions LLC. Included in the win column is 1999 graduate Wayne Oliver, who, after sliding to a straight-F average before playing for Carter, will now attend Oklahomas Cameron University. With educational goals in mind, Carter had all his players sign a contract in which they promised to maintain a 2.3 grade-point average, higher than the state-required minimum of 2.0. There was just one vocal naysayer, a teen-age fan who wouldnt give his name. In 2005, Carter proposed a boarding school project called the 'Coach Carter Impact Academy' in Marlin, Texas. "Dr. Crabbs told us, You can make a living working for someone else, but you can create a lifestyle if you own your own business," Carter says. He grew up with seven sisters and a brother. Born in tiny Fernwood, Mississippi (near McComb) around 1959, Carter grew up in a close-knit family and community. "The kids I was dealing with were inner-city kids, and most of them were coming from single-parent homes. They were a massive disappointment, yes, but also so transcendent for brief moments. February 2023. The two decades since Carter's glory days had been marked mostly by losing seasons. 'Richmond High' had also performed poorly in basketball for the past 2 decades. He teaches a journalism course at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Select the fourth team from the drop down menu. Looks good!" The most effective scheme was Carter's contract that the students had to sign in order to enter the basketball team. The brief lockout made national news and began a remarkable and sometimes painful transformation for Carter, his players and the entire high school. Coach Ken Carter's 1999 lockout of his Richmond (California) High School basketball team seemed like a story made for the movies. "Go Oilers!" signs sprouted in the windows of businesses in the economically hard-hit town. Drug abuse and high unemployment plagued the town, and Richmond High had a graduation rate of only around 50 percent. The school and the community had both deteriorated since his days as a Richmond star. and its Licensors He coached the Slamball team Rumble. Leadership Public Schools Richmond (Richmond, CA). Last week, Coach Ken Carter benched his entire team for poor academic performance. Nevertheless, his parents always taught him to be kind toward others. "We had failed as a program," says Carter, a George Fox student in the early 1980s. Dec 19 @ Little Rock, Richmond (4-4) Loss vs. Little Rock, 62-70, 9. They missed a non-league game and last Saturdays alumni game, a popular annual event between current and former players. He set numerous school records as a basketball star at Richmond High in the 1970s, and the coaching success vindicates his often-criticized methods. Jan 30 @ UNC Wilmington, Richmond (11-9) Loss vs. UNC Wilmington, 65-73, 21. amsc: 1, More bravos at: 19th Anniversary! The youth is among four players from the 1999 team who are off to four-year colleges on athletic scholarships. In 1997, Carter began his coaching career with the high-school boys' basketball team at his alma mater. VIEW ALL Coach Carter 's true story is based on Ken Carter, the real-life basketball coach of Richmond High School in Northern California, and almost all of the events Samuel L. Jackson depicted while playing him actually happened. "Its got something for everyone. The contract mandated a 2.3 grade-point average and perfect class attendance records, along with conditions such as always sitting in the front row and addressing men and women as "sir" and "madam," respectively. Part of his success was due to the interest he took in his players off the court. Nov 21 @ Liberty, Richmond (2-1) Win vs. Liberty, 66-63, 4. On 1/21, the Richmond varsity basketball team won their home non-conference game against Summit Tamalpais (Richmond, CA) by a score of 66-54. Classreport, Inc. All Rights Reservede0 On 1/28, the Richmond varsity basketball team won their away non-conference game against Averroes (Fremont, CA) by a score of 60-53. A born entrepreneur who realized the power of the Internet early on, he also took e-commerce courses at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California, near Richmond. Richmond Oilers Coach Carter is a 2005 biographical sports drama film directed by Thomas Carter and starring Samuel L. Jackson as Ken Carter, a high school basketball coach who made headlines in 1999 for suspending his undefeated high school basketball team due to poor academic results. Teachers had reported to him that his players were showing progress in the classroom. She said that the student-athletes would continue to receive tutorials when needed, and that basketball practice has been moved back to 5:30 p.m. to make time for a mandatory two-hour study hall after school. Addresses: OfficeCoach Ken Carter Foundation, 641 S. 15th St., Richmond, CA 94804; Webwww.coachcarter.com. Wayne Oliver recalls how Carter helped turn his academic life around. Carters message was simple: Athletes arent exempt from abiding by the rules and succeeding in the classroom just because they can wow crowds and win ball games. Select the first team from the drop down menu. Calls came from Rush Limbaugh, CNN, Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, People magazine, USA Today, and "The Today Show." He later returned to Richmond and took further courses at San Francisco State University. "But one company, Microsoft, has over 10,000 millionaires in that one company." Although he said the suspension would be for the rest of the season, Carter relented Monday after the team had missed just one game. Join our linker program. His stand triggered an outcry from parents and the community. And thats just one company.. All contributions will be DOUBLED through March 31! 5/2/2018, "Thank YOU for helping us get the word out! "Coach Carter has done more in one week than I could do in four years as governor, to get the message out about education," said Davis, who made education his No. But for Anderson, his teammates and the rest of the East Bay town, Tuesday was a night that will be remembered less for the 61-51 triumph by the home team over conference rival St. Elizabeth High School, but more for the statement the state's third-ranked Division III team made about academics. The fact that you did this in a noncommercial manner in a world where everything has a price tag deserves recognition and respect, in my view. Carter founded a publishing company, Prime Time Publishing, and authored several motivational print and audio products including 101 Ways to Earn a Higher GPA. He didn't study ESPN's "SportsCenter" for a clever new pivot move. RICHMOND, Calif. (AP) _ A basketball team that was benched for poor grades earned a rousing ovation and a visit from the governor when it returned to the court. Gray Davis was there, along with local officials, a number of police officers, national and local media and about 300 enthusiastic fans. Jan. 12, 1999 =Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter, right, congratulates his team members, including junior Montague Christian, after announcing that the team would be. The lesson their coach tries to drive home is simple. SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- The Richmond High School Oilers are perfect on the court, but some are stumbling in the classroom. We encouraged them to think big and dream big.". The film is based on the true story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter (played by Jackson), who made headlines in 1999 for suspending his undefeated high school basketball team due to poor academic results.