You Won’t Believe What Happened To The ‘You Gotta Believe’ Team!

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Movie fans can’t resist an inspiring underdog story, especially those about perseverance and determination in sports films. For many years, these types of movies have been popular in Hollywood because viewers love cheering on courageous characters as they overcome challenges and strive to achieve their lofty goals. In the 2024 movie You Gotta Believe, actors Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear teamed up to portray the incredible story of the Fort Worth Westside All-Stars, who made it to the 2002 Little League World Series despite facing tough odds.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d put it this way: “You Gotta Believe” is my pick for an inspiring tale that showcases the extraordinary dedication of a young sports team, striving against all odds to compete in the annual tournament. The story unfolds as they battle for victory, driven by their deep respect and love for one of their teammates whose father was battling terminal cancer during the Little League World Series. This heartwarming sports drama, inspired by real-life events, struck a chord with audiences, leaving them teary-eyed as they cheered on the underdogs to triumph, not only for their school but also in honor of their ailing friend’s father.

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A Heartwarming Underdog Sports Drama

Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear joined forces for the lead roles in the heartwarming and inspiring sports film titled “You Gotta Believe“. This movie tells the incredible true story of Coach Jon Kelly (Greg Kinnear) and his underestimated young baseball team from Fort Worth, Texas. They came together to support a teammate’s ailing father by overcoming the odds and advancing to the 2002 Little League World Series. The climactic match against their opponents was nothing short of extraordinary. Coach Kelly dedicated the team’s courageous postseason journey in honor of first baseman Robert’s unwell dad and assistant coach Bobby Ratliff (Luke Wilson), who was diagnosed with terminal melanoma.

On the Westside of Fort Worth, the All-Stars united with determination, aiming to reach the illustrious Little League World Series. They put in immense effort, striving to become the finest players possible as a tribute to Ratliff and Robert, while simultaneously demonstrating that dedication and a positive outlook can lead to remarkable success. This seemingly overlooked team experienced an incredible metamorphosis from underdogs to leaving a lasting impression in the Little League World Series annals, delivering a sensational ESPN moment that will not be easily forgotten.

‘You Gotta Believe’ Is Poignantly Rooted in Reality

You Gotta Believe emotionally recounts the true tale of the genuine Westside All-Stars Little League team. Similar to the film, they put in a lot of effort and determination to qualify for the LLWS in 2002, an achievement unmatched by any other team from Dallas-Fort Worth in the past 42 years. The young and driven players battled relentlessly to reach the annual baseball tournament. Their goal was to excel and make their season a tribute to Bobby Ratliff, who bravely attended their games throughout the summer while simultaneously undergoing rigorous cancer treatment.

In a thrilling turn of events, the Westside All-Stars sharpened their talents and gathered momentum, ultimately qualifying for the elimination round in the quarterfinals of the series. Facing off against Louisville’s Valley Sports American team, each player donned baseball caps emblazoned with the name “Bobby” across the front. This epic encounter extended over eleven hard-fought innings, shattering traditional boundaries and setting a new record with an astounding 49 combined strikeouts. Regrettably, the Westside team fell to Valley Sports in this historical matchup. However, their valiant spirit left an indelible impression on the tournament as both teams displayed unyielding courage. Remarkably, Bobby was present throughout the season and had the privilege of witnessing the nail-biting finale.

Where Are They Now?

Robert Ratliff, Bobby Ratliff’s son, passed away on May 7, 2003. Before settling back in Fort Worth and working in insurance, he played football at Ole Miss. Despite his aspirations to become a Little League coach, Robert has expressed a deep desire to be present at as many games as possible, having found great purpose during the team’s LLWS run. This sentiment was echoed by former head coach Jon Kelly, who reminisced about the remarkable 2024 season in an interview with the Fort Worth Report, stating that the team’s success provided a profound sense of purpose for Robert as he underwent “intense treatments for melanoma skin cancer.

That summer was simply wonderful and indelibly etched in our memories. There was no stress, not a single grumble from the children – they were all content just to be present and play ball…The team showed tremendous support towards Robert and his family, giving their all for Bobby during every game…It was truly a unique and heartwarming experience.

In April 2022, about two decades since their victory in the Little League World Series, members of the 2002 Fort Worth Westside All-Stars team retraced their steps to the practice field they once played on and rekindled relationships with each other. During this time, Michael Valdez, a former teammate, continued playing baseball at Texas Wesleyan University and later coached various youth sports teams. Meanwhile, Walker Kelly, another team member, played baseball at Texas Christian University, and Mitchell Belew now coaches his nephew’s Little League baseball squad.

The movie titled “You Gotta Believe” premiered in cinemas on August 30, 2024. It raked in $1.4 million at the box office but received mixed reviews from critics, who admired its inspiring theme and skillful scriptwriting yet found it somewhat predictable and stereotypical, resulting in a mediocre 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. In stark contrast, audiences were thoroughly moved by this sports drama, rating it highly at 90% on the Popcornmeter. The film also gained popularity on Netflix’s Top Ten Films list and garnered renewed interest from the streaming service.

Stream You Gotta Believe on Netflix.

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2025-01-31 05:32