WOODLAWN...hardworking for peace and equality

Talking about sports could be a very passionate topic as everybody gets defensive about their teams and preferences but talking about religion can get more sensitive as anyone believes are something as personal as any part of themselves that even defines them as person, so imaging a story that can mix those two topics sounds like setting a mine camp where everybody can get hurt or offended. Surprisingly not the case with "Woodland" (2015), the new sports drama that stands among the rest as it's supposed real based story relies in the influence of religion that changed this team and the whole town in times of crisis and bringing one of the best teams in high school football as well as their players including it's QB that was best know for his speed and ability to avoid among the whole team.

As we mentioned, the story is based in a high school football team that faces timing where it's town struggles through hate from racism and social status, making no room for the team to bound as equals and become the family they need to be able to compete and become stronger to win other teams. So when things seemed to go down and can't get worse a preacher comes to the scene trying to bring hope and a message of love to the team. Trying to open their eyes and hearts in order to accept each other as equals and love themselves first so can be able to love others, but sounds kind of crazy for the elders and the skeptics including the coach's team and school teachers so when have a chance brings them a message about praying and realize that only love and respect to themselves will bring peace to their souls and that will take all stress out and peace to their hearts.

The reaction of the young guys that were touched by his words and the idea of getting to know themselves and their team mates shocks everybody else but made them wonder if for real things need to change starting with their example and trying different things if want different results even if they look hard and painful to get but still needed. So the coach's first move is signing as the new QB a black guy that has proved great skills running and avoiding the opponent defense to score a touch down. Criticism and rejection will surface but results start happening and the team seems to like the idea and start wining which also helps as a motivation for each one of the players. That way a simple change starts a reaction that goes from a team, to a whole school to the entire town, all united from their love to the sport and it's tradition that brings together families and societies and inspired by the word of a religion that preaches love and peace among human beings.

Agnostics can be oppose to watch a film that embraces and makes part of its core religion, but don't get it wrong, this is not an advertisement to sell the idea and convert new followers into their religion. One of the good points of the movie is the treatment that gives to the sensitive topic, using religion only as an excuse for an introspective to look inside of us and search for that peace and love that exist deep inside of our souls and can become any bad thought or feeling into a positive or better one. As we all know, that's actually the real message and intention of any believe, religion or cult, that with time went wrong and became an institution seeking power and influence among kingdoms and landlords but their origins, name it, are the same. So even here, they use Catholicism as the example to follow, they make it clear to not sell it as the option to choose but to give a name to a message of peace and love among others even if not getting that from them, learning to forgive and becoming stronger from their judgments.

Even that all this events happened decades ago, at the 70's to be exact, when other races the the withe where fighting for same rights and treatments in North America, the story feels fresh when we listen to the message of a preacher that tries to motivate young guys that grew up in an era that feeds hate to others because they looks different or have different traditions, when no one is better than other and everyone has their own skills and attributes, so when these days we look around our friends or young people that like to bully their class mates or neighbors just because they like different things than what it's supposed to be, can't think in more than the lack of that soul search that will open their minds and hearts. Everybody is so focus in working out their bodies, keep themselves healthy, study and keep their brains active but just a few care about their souls, to bring peace to themselves, take a moment to breath and take all stress out from their daily basis because what matters at the end is becoming a better self in all aspects but just the ones that we can be recognize by others.

As also we have learned from all those sports movies and if a follower of any sport, these are more than just a passionate competition or a way to exercise but a culture to create strategies that help to unite and improve cultures while bringing some fun, but any team need to embrace the fact to become a family and learn to accept and respect their team mates to bring their best qualities for the teams sake and benefit from them to improve our own. Football is known as a basic on North American culture so the idea of using it as a way to deliver a message for good and unite instead of confront results in a better experiment and hopefully inspire a country that faces multi cultural communities to become one using love to a sport and a team as a reflection of love and respect to ourselves and all people that is lucky to cross around us. So are you ready to play or pray?