Parenting 20 Films to Show Your Kids to Get Them into Sports Movies
List Rules Vote up the classic films appropriate for kids and teens that will teach them to love and respect sports movies.
Looking for some sports movies for beginners? If you want to sit down with your children and watch kid-oriented movies like Angels in the Outfield and The Mighty Ducks, that's great when your child is very young. But what happens when your tween is no longer satisfied with those feel good family films? What happens when you want to introduce your kid to the conventions and style of quality sports cinema? It's time to break out the PG-13 sports movies and educate your kids on more mature content. Here, you'll find a list of classic sports movies kids can watch.
The same sort of story is still there - the down and out team finds a way to victory or the athlete everyone doubted learns to overcome his/her odds and thrive. All the conventions that made your kids love films like The Bad News Bears are there, but movies like The Blind Side, Cinderella Man, and Friday Night Lights introduce more complex characters and themes. These sports movies for teens and tweens are appropriate for a younger audience without being too in your face kid friendly. These films can help get kids into sports and are great to fodder some discussion about cinema.
Browse the list below and vote up your favorite movies for introducing kids to sports films!
Rocky

Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. A small-time boxer (Sylvester Stallone) gets a supremely rare chance to fight a heavy-weight champion (Carl Weathers) in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect. ...more on Wikipedia
Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Joe Frazier, Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, + more
Initial Release: 1976
Directed by: John G. Avildsen
Also Ranked
#10 on The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies
#43 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime
#10 on The Best '70s Movies
#7 on The Greatest Film Scores of All Time

The Blind Side

The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical sports drama film. It was written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features Michael Oher, an offensive lineman who played for the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans, and currently is signed with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL. The film follows Oher from his impoverished upbringing, through his years at Wingate Christian School, his adoption by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, to his position as one of the most highly coveted prospects in college football, then finally becoming a first-round pick of the Ravens. Sandra Bullock stars as Leigh ...more on Wikipedia
Actors: Sandra Bullock, Lily Collins, Kathy Bates, Tim McGraw, Kim Dickens, + more
Initial Release: 2009
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Also Ranked
#63 on The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry
#20 on Movies Turning 10 in 2019
#14 on The Best Sports Movies Ever Made
#5 on The Best Movies Based on Non-Fiction Books

Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man is a 2005 American drama film by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penny Marshall, and Brian Grazer. Damon Runyon is credited for giving Braddock this nickname. Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti star. ...more on Wikipedia
Actors: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Clint Howard, Paddy Constantine, + more
Initial Release: 2005
Directed by: Ron Howard
Also Ranked
#33 on The Best Movies Based on True Stories
#16 on The Most Inspirational Movies Ever
#32 on The Best Sports Movies Ever Made
#12 on The Most Inspirational Sports Movies

Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit is a 2003 American biographical sports psychological-drama thriller film based on the best-selling non-fiction book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. The film is loosely based on the life and racing career of Seabiscuit, an undersized and overlooked thoroughbred race horse, whose unexpected successes made him a hugely popular media sensation in the United States during the Great Depression. ...more on Wikipedia
Actors: Elizabeth Banks, Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire, William H. Macy, Chris Cooper, + more
Initial Release: 2003
Directed by: Gary Ross
Also Ranked
#14 on The Best Movies Based on Non-Fiction Books
#30 on The Most Inspirational Sports Movies
#56 on The Best Live Action Animal Movies for Kids
#35 on The Greatest Animal Movies Ever Made
