"From The Rough": Tennessee State University Bound

By: Denise Young. ED.S


“I want to be the kind of person that kind people like and want to be like.”- Jarod Kintz. This quote reminds me of Coach Starks. I was a freshman entering a point of my life that was unfamiliar and unsure when I hit the steps of Tennessee State University. Like many others this time of our life's was the best ,molding us to the adults we are on today. A year ago I heard of a movie that was made of our very own Catana Starks. She was once my health teacher at TSU a  few times teaching me  a lot about classes and golf. So when I saw the official trailer of the movie I  was thrilled. First, because I know her, but most of all due to her  amazing story. As alumni from Tennessee State University which is HBCU it is important people know the history and heritage all HBCU's carry. We are so much more than the best bands, pretty girls and the best parties that was thrown by our Greek organizations . We are more than the bad media publicity, Tennessee State has produced  Oprah Winfrey, Wilma Rudolph, Brent Alexander, Ralph Boston, Harvey Johnson, Jr., Samuel G. Puryear, Leon Thomas, list of reality stars, Alvin Williams, Edith McGuire, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, MORE?! We are Kings and Queens going out into the world making a name for ourselves. So when the title was mentioned to me I love it immediately . The name of the movie is called " From the Rough". 


From the Rough is a sports drama film based on the true story of Catana Starks, a former Tennessee State Tigers swim coach, who became the first woman ever to coach a college men’s golf team. With drive, passion, and guts, she took an unruly group of mismatched kids from around the world and guided them to an all-time record at the PGA National Collegiate Minority Championship.
Tasked with building Tennessee State’s first golf team and finding only one available African American golfer – Craig, a former caddy with plenty of talent but no confidence – Catana Starks pushes outside TSU’s Historically Black context, and, against huge resistance, opens up the roster to underprivileged kids from around the world. The film stars Taraji P. Henson as Coach Starks, as well as Tom Felton, Michael Clarke Duncan and LeToya Luckett. The film was co-written by Michael A. Critelli and Pierre Bagley and directed by Bagley.


PLEASE GO OUT TO SEE THIS MOIVE THIS WEEKEND!
Pictures below of the premiere

Cast

• Taraji P. Henson as Catana Starks
• Tom Felton as Edward
• Michael Clarke Duncan as Roger
• LeToya Luckett as Stacey
• Henry Simmons as Kendrick Paulsen Jr.
• Justin Chon as Ji-Kyung
• Robert Bailey Jr. as Craig
• Ben Youcef as Bassam
• Paul Hodge as Cameron