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See Also
See Again
© NL Beeld
0 / 31 Fotos
Mickey Goldmill
- Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) wouldn't have achieved the success he did without the help of Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith). Mickey stars in a number of 'Rocky' movies.
© NL Beeld
1 / 31 Fotos
Irv Blitzer
- Based on a true story, John Candy plays Irv Blitzer, who becomes the first coach to take a Jamaican bobsled team to the Winter Olympics. 'Cool Runnings' (1993) is definitely worth a watch.
© NL Beeld
2 / 31 Fotos
Norman Dale
- Norman Dale is a high school basketball coach who takes on a small team in Indiana. Played by Gene Hackman, coach Dale from 'Hoosiers' (1986) has what it takes.
© NL Beeld
3 / 31 Fotos
Tony D'Amato
- An example of a great football coach is Al Pacino as coach D'Amato in Oliver Stone's 'Any Given Sunday' (1999).
© NL Beeld
4 / 31 Fotos
Sue Sylvester
- Coach Sue Sylvester's (Jane Lynch) tracksuit collection is as iconic as her role in 'Glee' (2009–2015).
© NL Beeld
5 / 31 Fotos
Mr. Miyagi
- Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) is probably the most iconic fictional karate sensei of all time. His legacy started in 'The Karate Kid' (1984) where he taught underdog Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and turned him into a champion.
© NL Beeld
6 / 31 Fotos
'Coach Carter' (2005)
- Coach Ken Carter takes the job of basketball coach for his old high school. 'Coach Carter' (2005), starring Samuel L. Jackson, is based on a true story.
© NL Beeld
7 / 31 Fotos
Johnny Lawrence
- Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) may have been the villain in 'The Karate Kid' (1984), but he turned out to be a generous sensei in the TV series 'Cobra Kai' (2018–).
© NL Beeld
8 / 31 Fotos
Daniel LaRusso
- And of course, we have Mr Miyagi's own disciple, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), as another well-intentioned sensei on the show.
© NL Beeld
9 / 31 Fotos
Gordon Bombay
- A former pro hockey league player takes on a new challenge of coaching a junior hockey team. Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) does a great job in 'D2: The Mighty Ducks' (1994).
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Reggie Dunlop
- Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) has a pretty tough job: he is both a hockey player and a coach in 'Slap Shot' (1977).
© NL Beeld
11 / 31 Fotos
Jimmy McGinty
- Gene Hackman plays yet another great coach, this time a football one called Jimmy McGinty in 'The Replacements' (2000).
© NL Beeld
12 / 31 Fotos
Eric Taylor
- Kyle Chandler plays the inspirational high school football coach Taylor in 'Friday Night Lights' (2006–2011).
© NL Beeld
13 / 31 Fotos
Morris Buttermaker
- Coach Morris Buttermaker does a great job in leading a young team of misfits in California's Little League. Buttermaker is played by Walter Matthau in the 1976 movie 'The Bad News Bears.'
© NL Beeld
14 / 31 Fotos
Molly McGrath
- One of the few female coaches on this list, Molly McGrath (Goldie Hawn) does a terrific job with an inner-city high school football team in 'Wildcats' (1986).
© NL Beeld
15 / 31 Fotos
Coach Klein
- We never really get to know Coach Klein's (Henry Winkler) first name in 'The Waterboy' (1998), but he's good at spotting new talent, that's for sure.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Harry Hogge
- Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) is a crew chief of a NASCAR racing team. He's the man who shows Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) how it's done in 'Days of Thunder' (1990).
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Patches O'Houlihan
- Patches O'Houlihan (left), played by Rip Torn, is the dodgeball coach for the Average Joe's in 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story' (2004).
© NL Beeld
18 / 31 Fotos
Sam Winters
- Sam Winters (James Caan) tries to help a college football team achieve success in 'The Program' (1993).
© NL Beeld
19 / 31 Fotos
Ted Lasso
- Ted Lasso is arguably the most famous coach in TV history. Jason Sudeikis plays the American football coach trying to help a British soccer team in 'Ted Lasso.' The show first aired in 2020 and is still ongoing.
© NL Beeld
20 / 31 Fotos
Fast Eddie Felson (The Color Of Money)
- Paul Newman won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as pool master "Fast Eddie" Felson in 'The Color of Money' (1986).
© NL Beeld
21 / 31 Fotos
Jackie Moon
- Jackie Moon is a rather unique character who is both a basketball player and a coach. Moon is played by Will Ferrell, and the movie is called 'Semi-Pro' (2008).
© NL Beeld
22 / 31 Fotos
Hayden Fox
- Of course, we have to include football coach Hayden Fox (Craig T. Nelson) on this list. After all, the show is called 'Coach' (1989–1997).
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Jimmy Dugan
- It's not every day that we see Tom Hanks playing a coach managing a wartime female baseball team. The movie is called 'A League of Their Own' (1992).
© NL Beeld
24 / 31 Fotos
Uchiyama
- Japanese coach Uchiyama (Ken Takakura) takes the career of baseball player Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck) to another level in 'Mr Baseball' (1992).
© NL Beeld
25 / 31 Fotos
Eddie Franklin
- Basketball fan Eddie Franklin (Whoopi Goldberg) becomes the coach of the New York Knicks in 'Eddie' (1996).
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Walter Burns
- Burt Reynolds plays Judge Walter Burns who takes on an Alaskan amateur hockey team and trains them to play a match against the New York Rangers in 'Mystery, Alaska' (1999).
© NL Beeld
27 / 31 Fotos
Coach
- Ernie Pantusso, best known as simply "Coach," is a baseball coach turned barman. The character was played by Nicholas Colasanto from 1982 to 1985 in the sitcom 'Cheers.'
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Rick Mellor
- Rick Mellor (Bryan Callen) is the coach at William Penn Academy in 'The Goldbergs' (2013–2023). He is tough but sensitive, and overall a great character.
© NL Beeld
29 / 31 Fotos
Yoda
- Jedi Master Yoda might not coach sports, but he is the ultimate coach. The 'Star Wars' character knows a thing or two about coaching Jedis to use the Force. Sources: (Screen Rant) (Bleacher Report) (Yardbarker)
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© NL Beeld
0 / 31 Fotos
Mickey Goldmill
- Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) wouldn't have achieved the success he did without the help of Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith). Mickey stars in a number of 'Rocky' movies.
© NL Beeld
1 / 31 Fotos
Irv Blitzer
- Based on a true story, John Candy plays Irv Blitzer, who becomes the first coach to take a Jamaican bobsled team to the Winter Olympics. 'Cool Runnings' (1993) is definitely worth a watch.
© NL Beeld
2 / 31 Fotos
Norman Dale
- Norman Dale is a high school basketball coach who takes on a small team in Indiana. Played by Gene Hackman, coach Dale from 'Hoosiers' (1986) has what it takes.
© NL Beeld
3 / 31 Fotos
Tony D'Amato
- An example of a great football coach is Al Pacino as coach D'Amato in Oliver Stone's 'Any Given Sunday' (1999).
© NL Beeld
4 / 31 Fotos
Sue Sylvester
- Coach Sue Sylvester's (Jane Lynch) tracksuit collection is as iconic as her role in 'Glee' (2009–2015).
© NL Beeld
5 / 31 Fotos
Mr. Miyagi
- Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) is probably the most iconic fictional karate sensei of all time. His legacy started in 'The Karate Kid' (1984) where he taught underdog Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and turned him into a champion.
© NL Beeld
6 / 31 Fotos
'Coach Carter' (2005)
- Coach Ken Carter takes the job of basketball coach for his old high school. 'Coach Carter' (2005), starring Samuel L. Jackson, is based on a true story.
© NL Beeld
7 / 31 Fotos
Johnny Lawrence
- Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) may have been the villain in 'The Karate Kid' (1984), but he turned out to be a generous sensei in the TV series 'Cobra Kai' (2018–).
© NL Beeld
8 / 31 Fotos
Daniel LaRusso
- And of course, we have Mr Miyagi's own disciple, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), as another well-intentioned sensei on the show.
© NL Beeld
9 / 31 Fotos
Gordon Bombay
- A former pro hockey league player takes on a new challenge of coaching a junior hockey team. Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) does a great job in 'D2: The Mighty Ducks' (1994).
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Reggie Dunlop
- Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) has a pretty tough job: he is both a hockey player and a coach in 'Slap Shot' (1977).
© NL Beeld
11 / 31 Fotos
Jimmy McGinty
- Gene Hackman plays yet another great coach, this time a football one called Jimmy McGinty in 'The Replacements' (2000).
© NL Beeld
12 / 31 Fotos
Eric Taylor
- Kyle Chandler plays the inspirational high school football coach Taylor in 'Friday Night Lights' (2006–2011).
© NL Beeld
13 / 31 Fotos
Morris Buttermaker
- Coach Morris Buttermaker does a great job in leading a young team of misfits in California's Little League. Buttermaker is played by Walter Matthau in the 1976 movie 'The Bad News Bears.'
© NL Beeld
14 / 31 Fotos
Molly McGrath
- One of the few female coaches on this list, Molly McGrath (Goldie Hawn) does a terrific job with an inner-city high school football team in 'Wildcats' (1986).
© NL Beeld
15 / 31 Fotos
Coach Klein
- We never really get to know Coach Klein's (Henry Winkler) first name in 'The Waterboy' (1998), but he's good at spotting new talent, that's for sure.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Harry Hogge
- Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) is a crew chief of a NASCAR racing team. He's the man who shows Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) how it's done in 'Days of Thunder' (1990).
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Patches O'Houlihan
- Patches O'Houlihan (left), played by Rip Torn, is the dodgeball coach for the Average Joe's in 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story' (2004).
© NL Beeld
18 / 31 Fotos
Sam Winters
- Sam Winters (James Caan) tries to help a college football team achieve success in 'The Program' (1993).
© NL Beeld
19 / 31 Fotos
Ted Lasso
- Ted Lasso is arguably the most famous coach in TV history. Jason Sudeikis plays the American football coach trying to help a British soccer team in 'Ted Lasso.' The show first aired in 2020 and is still ongoing.
© NL Beeld
20 / 31 Fotos
Fast Eddie Felson (The Color Of Money)
- Paul Newman won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as pool master "Fast Eddie" Felson in 'The Color of Money' (1986).
© NL Beeld
21 / 31 Fotos
Jackie Moon
- Jackie Moon is a rather unique character who is both a basketball player and a coach. Moon is played by Will Ferrell, and the movie is called 'Semi-Pro' (2008).
© NL Beeld
22 / 31 Fotos
Hayden Fox
- Of course, we have to include football coach Hayden Fox (Craig T. Nelson) on this list. After all, the show is called 'Coach' (1989–1997).
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Jimmy Dugan
- It's not every day that we see Tom Hanks playing a coach managing a wartime female baseball team. The movie is called 'A League of Their Own' (1992).
© NL Beeld
24 / 31 Fotos
Uchiyama
- Japanese coach Uchiyama (Ken Takakura) takes the career of baseball player Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck) to another level in 'Mr Baseball' (1992).
© NL Beeld
25 / 31 Fotos
Eddie Franklin
- Basketball fan Eddie Franklin (Whoopi Goldberg) becomes the coach of the New York Knicks in 'Eddie' (1996).
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Walter Burns
- Burt Reynolds plays Judge Walter Burns who takes on an Alaskan amateur hockey team and trains them to play a match against the New York Rangers in 'Mystery, Alaska' (1999).
© NL Beeld
27 / 31 Fotos
Coach
- Ernie Pantusso, best known as simply "Coach," is a baseball coach turned barman. The character was played by Nicholas Colasanto from 1982 to 1985 in the sitcom 'Cheers.'
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Rick Mellor
- Rick Mellor (Bryan Callen) is the coach at William Penn Academy in 'The Goldbergs' (2013–2023). He is tough but sensitive, and overall a great character.
© NL Beeld
29 / 31 Fotos
Yoda
- Jedi Master Yoda might not coach sports, but he is the ultimate coach. The 'Star Wars' character knows a thing or two about coaching Jedis to use the Force. Sources: (Screen Rant) (Bleacher Report) (Yardbarker)
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
The greatest fictional coaches of all time
From football to karate
© NL Beeld
There are numerous coaches in the world of sports movies and TV shows, but there are only a select few that are truly worth mentioning. In fact, some of these coaches are not even characters in sports-related films or series. Regardless of whether they coach at professional level or amateur, these men and women became iconic in their own right for a variety of reasons.
Click through the gallery and get to know the greatest fictional coaches of all time.
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