The wooden floors of Memorial Gym echoed with more than just basketball drills on April 1, as the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) community gathered for a 20th-anniversary screening of “Glory Road.”
The event served as a bridge between Hollywood and history, celebrating both the 2006 film and the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Texas Western national championship.
The evening’s guest of honor was Schin Kerr, the actor who portrayed David “Big Daddy” Lattin in the film. For Kerr, a former professional basketball player, being back in the very facility where the historic team practiced was a heavy experience.
“I was scared because I got to actually see and be a part of and be in the actual place where such a storied team was at,” Kerr said. “For me to come back here, it was like, man, it was a blessing.”
University President Heather Wilson took the floor to emphasize that the legacy of the 1966 team extended far beyond the basketball court, serving as a catalyst for civil rights in higher education.
Wilson noted that while the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision desegregated K-12 schools, the fight for university access continued in El Paso. Wilson recounted the story of Thelma Joyce White, a UTEP valedictorian who was initially denied admission and described the 1966 team as the culmination of a decade of progress.
“In the fall of 1955, the first four Black students were admitted to Texas Western College,” Wilson said. “Don Haskins built on those strengths and put together a team… they faced the University of Kentucky and Don Haskins started his best five players.”
Wilson highlighted the lasting impact of that championship game on the sport.
“Because of that win, it changed college athletics forever because now… coaches watched that game and started recruiting athletes for their talent and not because of the color of their skin,” Wilson said. “That is something that will last forever.”
Kerr revealed deep personal ties to the story, noting that his father and uncle were freshmen at Colorado State when the Miners won the title.
Because of NCAA rules at the time, freshmen were ineligible to play, but they witnessed the cultural shift firsthand. Kerr recalled his father’s blunt advice when he got the role: “You better not mess up.”
Filming the movie required grueling 15-hour days, particularly during the game sequences. Kerr looked back fondly on the direction he received for the championship game against Kentucky, where he was told to “dunk the basket down along with it” to send a message.
“As a basketball person, I was very proud I was able to actually go [and] dunk on somebody,” Kerr said.
Beyond the athletics, Kerr emphasized that the film’s 20-year milestone and the team’s 60-year legacy remain vital to American history.
“It’s important for us to have this… that our history is told, and told politely,” Kerr said. “To see the ripple effects of just what that team would do, and to be able to change their minds… we all have something in common.”
The sentiment was shared by UTEP alum Alfredo Montes, 67, who grew up with the story of the 1966 team. Montes said the film’s message remains simple and vital for the next generation.
“Everybody’s equal,” Montes said. “The message is to be just fair and be nice, man. That’s it.”
Current accounting senior Ray Banuelos added that the movie is about “breaking barriers,” noting that its lessons apply to academic and personal challenges.
“Don’t let nothing hold you back. That’s what I get from this movie.” Banuelos said.
Wilson concluded with a message for the community that mirrored the values of Coach Haskins.
“You win at the level you are at. You don’t lower the bar,” Wilson said. “When you see where they are, you can identify those talents and help them to reach their goals. That’s what Don Haskins did.”
As the film projected onto the screen in the historic gymnasium, it was clear that for El Paso, ”Glory Road,” is not just a movie; it is the floor they stand on.
Adrian Gonzalez Jr. is a staff reporter for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected]
