'I'm a man of my word': Inspirational speaker Ken Carter back in Halifax after 10 years
'You gotta put in work': Subject of 2005 film Coach Carter brings message of determination
In Halifax, a crowd of people at the World Trade and Convention Centre were anxious to meet inspirational speaker and coach Ken Carter on Saturday.
The 2005 Samuel L. Jackson movie Coach Carter was inspired by what happened while Carter was coaching his former high school basketball team in 1999. Richmond High School in California was undefeated, but Carter benched the team because players were doing so poorly academically.
Lorin Tolliver, 15, is a Grade 10 student who never gets tired of watching the movie based on his life. She's a basketball player and a fan of Carter's coaching strategies.
"He's a big inspiration to a lot of basketball people around here," Tolliver said.
She has goals of going to college or university and playing basketball at a higher level.
"You can make it," she said. "There will be setbacks but keep playing and don't give up."
Carter excited to be back
Coach Carter said he was excited to be back in Halifax after 10 years.
"I told them 10 years ago that I was coming back and almost 10 years to the day I'm back… I'm a man of my word," he said.
He spoke to parents, coaches and youth to give advice on the game of life.
"Simple as this: you got to come in early and stay late, you gotta put in work. You got to always do more than what you paid for as an investment in your future," said Carter.
Carter said if people invest in kids, they will always give a return.
"If kids are not learning the way you teach, you need to teach the way they learn," Carter said.
Coach Carter was in North Preston attending a church service Sunday, and he'll also be having a conversation with members of Man Up, a group for black men started shortly after three murders last year to address violence and other issues that impact the community.