The sports movie, overall, is as male driven as it is cliché. Take Rocky, the underdog who rises to the top. The coach's inspiring speech that rouses his ragtag athletes to victory, like Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday. Cinderella Man, a perfect example of the down-and-out gets a second chance comeback. The big game, à la The Replacements, where the players find their inner strength and the team pulls together for one final, defining moment. So when a sports movie arrives that features females, either singular or as a team, it’s a refreshing change, as they add something new to the formulaic genre. Here are but a few game-changers. Literally.
Personal Best (1982)
Chris (Mariel Hemingway), a sprinter, struggles with achieving her potential on the track, until she meets Tory (Patrice Donnelly), an established track star. The two women form a friendship as Tory's coach (Scott Glenn) helps Chris with her training. Over time, Tory and Chris grow closer and begin having a sexual relationship. As Chris' performance improves, their relationship becomes strained as it causes them to be in direct competition with one another for a spot on the Olympic team.
Whip It (2009)
Bliss Cavendar (Elliot Page) is a shy, quiet 17-year-old. Her mother believes that to have a happy life, Bliss should be taking part in, and winning, beauty pageants. Decidedly not the pageant type, Bliss instead discovers a women's roller-derby league in Austin, where she proves to be a natural and makes the team. Her life quickly becomes confounding as she pushes to be tougher on the rink, keeps her parents from discovering where she really goes twice a week, and navigates her feelings for a musician she met.
A League of Their Own (1992)
Sisters Kit (Lori Petty) and Dottie (Geena Davis) are recruited to join the Rockford Peaches, a team in the first professional women's baseball league during World War II. The team is reluctantly managed by Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), whose drinking ended his MLB playing career. The league games are poorly attended, leading to the potential closure of the league, until flashy plays and fan promotions start bringing the people in. The rivalry between the siblings increasingly grows hotter, leading to Kit's trade to the Racine Belles, and comes to a head as the two teams play in the World Series.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Jesminder "Jess" Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) is fanatical about football (soccer to us Americans). She's a natural at the sport, and dreams of turning pro like her hero, David Beckham. Jules (Keira Knightley), who plays in a women's league, sees Jess play and invites her to try out, and soon the two are fast friends. Unfortunately, Jess' parents are dead set against her participating in sports, preferring her to pursue a traditional Punjabi path. Jess continues to play, but comes to a crossroads when the football final, where a college scout will be assessing talent, is on the same day as her sister's wedding.
Soul Surfer (2011)
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The true story of champion surfer Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb), who is attacked by a shark, losing her arm in the ordeal. She is rushed to the hospital, where she relies on her Christianity to keep herself calm. When Bethany returns home, she struggles with learning to do things with only one arm, including surfing. But the determined teen is unwilling to accept defeat, and with the strength of friends, family and her faith she overcomes her physical disadvantage to get back as an elite surfer at the top of the circuit.
Battle of the Sexes (2017)
The story of the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match, one of the most televised sports events ever, between women's world champion Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men's champ Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell). As the public rivalry grows in the days approaching the event, off-court the two struggle with their own issues and the weight of the event itself, which becomes a focal point for women's equality, sexual revolution and pride.
I, Tonya (2017)
The life story of infamous anti-figure skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), as told through faux interviews and recreations. The film follows the skating prodigy from her childhood with her abusive mother LaVona (Allison Janney), her history-making triple axel, and up to the period following the notorious attack on Nancy Kerrigan.
National Velvet (1944)
National Velvet stars Mickey Rooney as former jockey Mi and a young Elizabeth Taylor in one of her first roles as 12-year-old Velvet, who becomes the owner of a spirited horse, Pie, in a town lottery. The two work together to train the horse for the Grand National, England's greatest racing event. However, a problem with the jockey forces Velvet to disguise herself and ride "The Pie" to victory.
She’s the Man (2006)
The comedy, based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, follows Viola (Amanda Bynes), a talented soccer player who is not allowed on Cornwall's boys team. So she disguises herself as her twin brother in order to play on her brother’s school soccer team. Things go sideways quickly when her two personas are caught in romantic entanglements, and further complicated when her brother Sebastian (James Kirk) shows up.
Ice Castles (1978)
Alexis Winston (Lynn-Holly Johnson) is a talented, up-and-coming figure skater, on the road to becoming a champion. One night, she suffers a terrible accident that renders her blind. Distraught at the loss of her dreams, Alexis falls into a deep depression, but with the faith of her family and boyfriend Nick (Robbie Benson), she comes to realize that she can still reach her aspirations.
Girlfight (2000)
Diana (Michelle Rodriguez), an ill-tempered teenager, picks up her brother from a gym where he boxes. Intrigued, she decides she wants to train. The coach, Hector (Jamie Tirelli), agrees to teach her, and discovers that she has real talent. He takes her to the top of the division, where she is set to fight Adrian, who she has mutual feelings for. Adrian initially refuses to fight a girl but relents, and they do fight to... (no spoilers here, watch the movie).
Bring It On (2000)
The Toro cheerleading squad has won the championship for five years running, and their new routine is sure to get them their sixth. However, team captain Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) discovers that their routines have been stolen by the former captain from an inner-city high school cheer squad, the Clovers. Torrance scrambles to pull together an original routine and save the squad's reputation, while Clovers captain Isis (Gabrielle Union) aims to raise the funds to get the Clovers to the championship and to the recognition they deserve.