January 24, 2005

Ken "Coach" Carter set to speak

Full schedule
Music, lectures and more offered during Black History Month
Jazz great Freddie Hubbard set to lecture and perform

Basketball coach Ken Carter, immortalized by actor Samuel L. Jackson in the recently released movie Coach Carter, is scheduled to lecture at California State University, Sacramento on Monday, Feb. 14.

Ken "Coach" Carter

Carter’s talk, “Average is Just Not Good Enough. Period,” begins at noon in the University Union Ballroom. A reception will follow the talk in the University's Multi-Cultural Center located in the library west wing. His visit is part of Sacramento State’s Black History Month activities commemorating achievements by African Americans.

The Paramount Pictures film about the controversial coach grossed $26.3 million its first weekend of release – claiming the top spot at the box office. The movie tracks how Carter motivated his winning team to score more points on the court and in the classroom.

In 1999, Carter benched the entire undefeated Richmond High School varsity basketball team because 15 of the 45 players’ marks were below a 2.3 grade point average. Carter locked the playoff bound team out of the school gym and forfeited games. Subsequently, and at first reluctantly, academically stronger players tutored weaker ones. Only when the whole team showed grade improvement did Carter permit them to play.

Carter coached the basketball team until 2003. He now works as an author and motivational speaker. Carter has since received several awards including the Harvard Club’s Distinguished Secondary Educator Award and the NAACP’s Impact Citizen of the Year Award.

Carter says he remains active an active advocate for Richmond’s youth.

For more information contact Leonard Valdez, director of the Multi-Cultural Center, at (916) 268-6101 or visit www.csus.edu/mcult. Media assistance is available from public affairs at (916) 278-6156. Ticket are available from the CSUS Ticket Office at (916) 278-4323.

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