Titles Available as of July 2022
This is a selective list of streaming video holdings in the American University Library. Streaming guides are created by doing multiple keyword searches in the library catalog to capture as many titles on a topic as possible. For complete up-to-date streaming holdings, please refer to our streaming catalog.
FEATURE FILMS
Alex, The Spirit of a Champion
Based on the classic New Zealand novel, Alex, by Tessa Duder, this is the remarkable story of Alex Archer's bid for a place in the 1960 Rome Olympic swimming team. But before Alex can represent New Zealand, she has to beat her arch-rival Maggie Benton, overcome a broken leg, experience falling in love for the first time, and confront a tragedy which almost breaks her will to succeed.
Jess is an Indian girl who dreams of life on a more even playing field; whether it be her beloved game of soccer or an opportunity to experience more than what her parents and culture might be ready to accept.
Rivalry develops between four high-school graduates and the arrogant college students in a small Midwestern town. It's played out in a rousing bicycle race, the University's "Little 500." An exciting Winner!
Coach Fields is known as the unluckiest coach in the history of sports. After being forced into an early retirement, he's given one last shot at greatness. Unfortunately, Champ is hired to coach The Comebacks, a talentless, slightly deranged college football team with a laughable roster and an even worse record. Armed with questionable morals, and weak players, Champ sets out to bring this team of losers together and make the impossible happen, win a game.
The film details the inspiring exploits of Michael Edwards, better known as "Eddie the Eagle," the most famous ski jumper in British history. The film's portrayal of Edwards' never-say-die approach to the sport, celebrates the human spirit and resilience in the face of extraordinary odds and challenges. Taron Egerton, who made his feature film starring debut in Kingsman: The Secret Service, portrays Eddie the Eagle, and Hugh Jackman plays a ski jumping expert from Lake Placid who helps Eddie train for the Calgary Olympics.
In EVERYONE'S HERO, a young boy (Jake T. Austin) finds himself at an extraordinary crossroads: He has a chance to be a hero - and make a difference against incredible odds - or he can play it safe. With faith in himself instilled by his family, he teams up with a sassy young girl (Raven-Symone) and some off-the-wall sidekicks and embarks on a sometimes perilous, often funny, cross-country quest. In the process, he restores his family's honor, befriends the world's biggest sports superstar, and reveals the hero within. Christopher Reeve was the original director on this computer-generated animated feature, the late actor-director's dream project.
Jay Davis is a star high school athlete with a full college basketball scholarship coming his way. When a new girl, "Karma" moves to town, Jay's effort in making her welcome is quickly voided when she feels her heart is being played with. Jay now has to fight not only for his basketball career, but for his life.
Gibsonburg is based on the true story of the only high school baseball team to win a state championship with a losing record. This magical, coming of age film deals not only with baseball, but the trials, tribulations, romances and mysteries that faced the teens along the way. Featuring Lili Reinhart from Riverdale.
There has never been a football team like the Maine Lobsters! There will never be again! In an act of desperation, the coach of The Maine Lobsters, a pro football team that has lost 32 games in a row, travels to Japan to buy a school of sumo wrestlers. His intention' To bring the humongous wrestlers back to Portland to replace his inept offensive line.
"Fast" Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary "Minnesota Fats" to a high-stakes match, but he loses in a heartbreaking marathon. Now broke and without his long-time manager, Felson faces an uphill battle to regain his confidence and his game. It isn't until he hits rock bottom that he agrees to join up with ruthless and cutthroat manager Bert Gordon. Gordon agrees to take him on the road to learn the ropes. But Felson soon realizes that making it to the top could cost him his soul, and perhaps his girlfriend. Will he decide that this is too steep a price to pay in time to save himself?
Nelson Mandela inspires the South African rugby team to strive for the World Cup in hopes of soothing the country's racial tensions.
Leslie Wright is a straight-shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight. All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig and the tug-of-war inside her heart. Oblivious to her romantic overtures, McKnight is instead drawn to the affections of Leslie's childhood friend Morgan, who has her sights set on being an NBA trophy wife. Is Leslie destined to play the role of "best friend" forever or will Scott finally see that what he always wanted is right in front of him?
Old school meets middle school in this feel-good family comedy starring Martin Lawrence ("Big Momma's House") as the ultimate "fish out of water". Lawrence plays a high-strung college basketball coach who must redeem himself following a public meltdown, by leading a junior high school team.
A gawky eleven-year-old sees his dream of playing baseball come true when he breaks his pitching arm. When it heals, he becomes an ace pitcher with an incredible fast ball. Drafted by Chicago, and befriended by a veteran pitcher, he learns about life and himself. Watch his magical pitching arm help bring a pennant to his beloved, long suffering Cubs.
"The Sandlot" is a comedy about a summer of friendship and adventure during which one boy becomes part of a team. Nine boys become best friends and their leader becomes a legend by confronting the terrifying mystery beyond the left field fence. Ruff! Ruff!
Al Percolo is a major league baseball scout sent to scout in Mexico as a punishment. However, he eventually stumbles across Steve Nebraska, a young American who can pitch AND hit better than anyone else can do either. He signs Steve and returns home in glory. It soon becomes obvious, though, that Steve is immature and possibly unstable, and Al turns to psychiatrist Doctor H. Aaron, whom he picks for her name, for help.
WHIP IT, the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore, stars Elliot Page (Juno) as Bliss, a rebellious Texas teen who throws in her small town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby. Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River, Pollock) plays Bliss' disapproving mother, while Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live) and Juliette Lewis (Old School) play roller-derby stars.
Sidney Deane may not be the first man who ever hustled a game of pick-up basketball, but he's one of the best. Sidney's in your face from the moment he hits the playground. A trash talking, ball handling legend of the local courts, his game is equal parts flash and attitude. Billy Hoyle is less talk and more action a newcomer who has just drifted into town with a basketball under his arm and a few tricks up the sleeve of his beat-up leather jacket. He's not nearly as easy going as he wants you to think. On opposing sides, they have little in common. Together, they're a road map to easy money. When Dean and Hoyle decide to collaborate, they are exploiting the basic rule of playground basketball: "In choosing teams, never pick the white guy."
Back in the late '80s, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey. Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life -- trying to reconnect with his daughter, and strikes up a blossoming romance with an aging stripper (Marisa Tomei). Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy "The Ram" back into his world of wrestling.
DOCUMENTARIES
Adrenaline Nation: New Zealand's Adventure Tourism
If you like a thrill, it's easy to fall for New Zealand. Adventure tourism is one of the country's most lucrative industries, and bungee jumping was practically invented there. But not everyone walks away from an extreme sports experience in New Zealand. Over the past eight years at least 50 people have died in accidents that may have been preventable if stricter litigation and compensation guidelines had been in place. Tour operators scoff at what they feel is a lawsuit-happy mindset, and recommend that those who are "scared of getting their knees dirty" go elsewhere for vacation. Is it possible to keep visitors safe without taking the adventure out of adventure tourism? This program examines New Zealand's adventure tourism industry and exposes significant flaws in the country's safety regulations. With A. J. Hackett, founder of the first commercial bungee-jumping enterprise.
Althea Gibson broke records on and off the tennis court. A truant from the rough streets of Harlem, Gibson emerged as a most unlikely queen of the highly segregated tennis world in the 1950s. A sharecropper's daughter, Gibson's family migrate north to Harlem in the 1930s, when fame that thrust her into the glare of the early Civil Rights movement. This films gives this elite athlete the attention she so richly deserves as uncompromising and courageous trailblazer and American pioneer.
Once a year, an Olympic flame is lit in Brazil announcing the opening of the Indigenous Games, the Games of the Amazon. This year, the event takes place in Porto Seguro, with 800 athletes from 30 different indigenous groups competing in traditional sports. 'The Amazon Games' tells the story of two tribes, the Matis people and the Enawenes Nawes Indians, who will embark upon the journey of a lifetime to take part in an amazing adventure. Two tribes, two voyages, two incredible adventures, with one unique goal: participate in the Games ... and win!
American Athletics: What Happened to the Game?
From children playing at the sandlot to the Olympics, the one thing athletic competitions have in common is that they all center around a game. This program scrutinizes athletics today through its evolution from a sport played for fun into a multibillion-dollar industry that can symbolize the problem of greed and the attitude of winning at all costs. Featured on the program are: sports broadcaster Dick Vitale; Tom McMillen, former basketball star and Congressman and now co-chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness; and Lisa Luciano, a New York Times sportswriter.
Babe Ruth, the home-run king, never took himself seriously - until he put on a uniform. In his 22-year career, he made baseball America's favorite sport, always with the promise of an exciting game.
Basketball was invented by a schoolteacher who was looking for a sport that could be played indoors in winter and that would require more dexterity than strength. This program describes how basketball is played, the equipment and clothing needed- including shoes with soles that let players stop quickly-and the field of play. Shooting guard, small forward, and other positions in the lineup are explained, along with the fundamentals of bouncing, passing, shooting, and defensive plays. Both international and NBA rules are included.
Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play
From Brazilian favelas to dusty Congolese villages, from Neolithic Scottish isles to modern soccer pitches, BOUNCE explores the little--known origins of our favorite sports. The film crosses time, languages and continents to discover how the ball has staked its claim on our lives and fueled our passion to compete. Equal parts science, history and cultural essay, BOUNCE removes us from the scandals and commercialism of today's sports world to uncover the true reasons we play ball, helping us reclaim our universal connection to the games we love. Inspired by the book, The Ball: Discovering the Object of the Game by John Fox.
Too many doping scandals have damaged the sport of cycling. But Clean Spirit introduces us to one pro cycling team that strives to compete the 'right way' -- and in the process has launched the careers of two of the most talented riders of this generation, Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb. The two young sprinters, along with their teammates, are determined to show that winning is possible without doping. As we follow the team during the 100th edition of the Tour de France, the excitement builds as stage wins and the yellow jersey are on the line. Like the classic 'A Sunday in Hell', Clean Spirit shows much more than just the race. We see the team in their hotel rooms, on the team bus, on training rides, at meals and massage, in team meetings, and celebrating (or commiserating) after victories, defeats and crashes. Most of all, we see a team dedicating to competing cleanly, and putting their heart and soul into success on the road.
The epic rivalry between half-pipe legends Kevin Pearce and Shaun White is documented in this exhilarating ride into the world of extreme snowboarding. With both practicing more and more breathtaking and dangerous tricks leading up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, everything suddenly changes for Kevin when a horrific crash leaves him fighting for his life. When he recovers, all he wants to do is get on his snowboard again, even though medics and family fear it could kill him.
They call it The Endless Summer: the ultimate surfing adventure, crossing the globe in search of the perfect wave. From the uncharted waters of West Africa, to the shark-filled seas of Australia, to the tropical paradise of Tahiti and beyond, these California surfers accomplish in a few months what most people never do in a lifetime: they live their dream. Director Bruce Brown creates a film so powerful it has become a timeless masterpiece that continues to capture the imagination of every new generation. When it first played in theaters, audiences lined up to see it again and again, spellbound by its thrilling excitement and awesome photography. But in fact, what's most compelling about the film is the sport of surfing itself, and once you've seen it, you'll never forget why.
Astley Secondary School in Manchester raised over half a million pounds to install an all-weather playing pitch. Headteacher John Mayes and his staff reveal how and where they got the funding, and why they decided to invest most of it in this one facility. The pitch provided a springboard for the school to acquire Sports College status and from there to launch a diverse and imaginative programme of sporting and physical activities, offered to the whole community. The programme is a guide to the funding opportunities available to schools in similar positions and illustrates how a dedicated and determined approach to fund-raising can provide long-term benefits for both staff and students.
On September 1, 2006, the top 24 high school basketball players in the nation stepped out on this same court that once saw the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dr. J to compete in the first annual "Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic." GUNNIN' FOR THAT #1 SPOT documents these athletes' skills on the most legendary court in the world, showing never before seen footage of that "Elite 24" game.
Half the Road: The Passion, Pitfalls, and Power of Women’s Professional Cycling
Directed by pro cyclist Kathryn Bertine, Half the Road explores the world of women's professional cycling, focusing on both the love of sport and the pressing issues of inequality that modern-day female athletes face in male dominated sports.
An autobiographical account of Robinson's journey through the Jim Crow sports establishment to baseball's major leagues. Robinson plays himself in a film that frames vignettes of racial prejudice against the personal courage of the first baseball player to break the color barrier in the Major Leagues.
Not Just a Game: Power, Politics, and American Sports
We've been told again and again that sports and politics don't mix, that games are just games and athletes should just "shut up and play." But according to Nation magazine sports editor Dave Zirin, this notion is just flat-out wrong. Not Just a Game, the powerful new documentary based on Zirin's bestselling book The People's History of Sports, argues that far from providing merely escapist entertainment, American sports have long been at the center of some of the major cultural struggles of our time. In a fascinating tour of the good, the bad, and the ugly of American sports culture, Zirin first traces how American sports have glamorized racism, sexism, homophobia, and militarism, then excavates a largely forgotten history of rebel athletes who stood up to power and fought for social justice beyond the field of play. The result is as deeply moving as it is exhilarating: nothing less than an alternative history of political struggle in the United States as seen through the games its people have played.
Par Tous les Temps: Sports and Weather
In the world of small talk, sports and weather rule. This program covers how to discuss them both through interviews with a meteorologist who travels with the Tour de France and mountain rescue police personnel who risk their lives to save climbers who have gotten into trouble. The video also features everyday people who tell what sports they enjoy and why they like to engage in them.
Playing Unfair: The Media Image of a Female Athlete
It has been 30 years since Title IX legislation granted women equal playing time, but the male-dominated world of sports journalism has yet to catch up with the law. Coverage of women's sports lags far behind men's and focuses on female athletes' femininity and sexuality over their achievements on the court and field.
Rugby has been called "a ruffian's game played by gentlemen" because of the unusually strong sense of community among its rival teams. An overview of rugby is provided in this program, with segments on the playing field, protective gear, and the role of the wingers, fly half, centers, flankers, and other players. Essentials of how the game is played according to international federation rules, including types of kicks and responses to tackles, are gained are also covered. The video also touches on rugby 15 (or rugby union), rugby 13 (or rugby league), and rugby sevens.
Soccer is considered to be hands-down the most popular sport in the world, with the FIFA World Cup netting an audience double that of the Olympic Games. This program covers in detail how soccer is played, the clothing and protective gear worn, penalty areas, FIFA rules, and the functions of the goalkeeper, defense, midfielders, and forwards. Techniques such as receiving the ball, leaving the ball, passing, and shooting, and when each may be employed, are also explained. The video also touches on football 11, football 7, and indoor football.
In both amateur and professional sports, being gay remains taboo. Few dare to come out of the closet for fear of being stigmatized, and for many, the pressure to perform is compounded by a further strain: whether or not to affirm their sexual identity. Breaking the code of silence that prevails on the field, on the ice and in the locker room, this film takes a fresh and often moving look at some of our gay athletes, who share their experiences with the camera.
Sue Campbell has been given the task of completely reinvigorating British sport. She played a vital role in securing the 2012 Olympics for London specifically through promoting the benefits to young people and education. In a fascinating conversation, Sue explains just how important sport is to our school children. Talking about her own childhood, she says she believes that if it weren't for her PE teachers, she would have gone off the rails. She has devoted much time researching the impact of sport on a person's psychology, and has worked tirelessly to promote sport in schools. Estelle and Sue discuss schools specialising in sports and their impact on results. As a former coach and world class athlete, Sue is now at a different stage of her career, influencing policy. On top of all this, she's responsible for making the changes necessary to make British sport more successful. She is dedicated to achieving excellence for the Olympic Games, both in 2008 and 2012.
Tough Guise 2: Violence Manhood, and American Culture
In this highly anticipated update of the influential and widely acclaimed Tough Guise, pioneering anti-violence educator and cultural theorist Jackson Katz argues that the ongoing epidemic of men's violence in America is rooted in our inability as a society to move beyond outmoded ideals of manhood. In a sweeping analysis that cuts across racial, ethnic, and class lines, Katz examines mass shootings, day-to-day gun violence, violence against women, bullying, gay-bashing, and American militarism against the backdrop of a culture that has normalized violent and regressive forms of masculinity in the face of challenges to traditional male power and authority. Along the way, the film provides a stunning look at the violent, sexist, and homophobic messages boys and young men routinely receive from virtually every corner of the culture, from television, movies, video games, and advertising to pornography, the sports culture, and US political culture.