{"id":239785,"date":"2026-04-08T03:41:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T03:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/239785\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T03:41:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T03:41:14","slug":"schin-kerr-and-el-paso-community-celebrate-20th-anniversary-of-glory-road-the-prospector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/239785\/","title":{"rendered":"Schin Kerr and El Paso community celebrate 20th Anniversary of \u2018Glory Road\u2019 \u2013 The Prospector"},"content":{"rendered":"

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 \u201cGlory Road.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The evening\u2019s guest of honor was Schin Kerr, the actor who portrayed\u202fDavid \u201cBig Daddy\u201d Lattin\u202fin the film. For Kerr, a former professional basketball player, being back in the very facility where the historic team practiced was a heavy experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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,\u201d Kerr said. \u201cFor me to come back here, it was like, man, it was a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n

University President\u202fHeather Wilson\u202ftook 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.<\/p>\n

Wilson noted that while the 1954\u202fBrown v. Board of Education\u202fdecision 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the fall of 1955, the first four Black students were admitted to Texas Western College,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cDon Haskins built on those strengths and put together a team\u2026 they faced the University of Kentucky and Don Haskins started his best five players.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>UTEP President Heather Wilson emphasize the legacy of the 1966 team and how important this history is to our community held at UTEP Memorial Gym on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Diego Figueroa<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Wilson highlighted the lasting impact of that championship game on the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of that win, it changed college athletics forever because now\u2026 coaches watched that game and started recruiting athletes for their talent and not because of the color of their skin,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cThat is something that will last forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Because of NCAA rules at the time, freshmen were ineligible to play, but they witnessed the cultural shift firsthand. Kerr recalled his father\u2019s blunt advice when he got the role: \u201cYou better not mess up.\u201d<\/p>\n

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 \u201cdunk the basket down along with it\u201d to send a message.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a basketball person, I was very proud I was able to actually go [and] dunk on somebody,\u201d Kerr said.<\/p>\n

Beyond the athletics, Kerr emphasized that the film\u2019s 20-year milestone and the team\u2019s 60-year legacy remain vital to American history.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important for us to have this\u2026 that our history is told, and told politely,\u201d Kerr said. \u201cTo see the ripple effects of just what that team would do, and to be able to change their minds\u2026 we all have something in common.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sentiment was shared by UTEP alum Alfredo Montes, 67, who grew up with the story of the 1966 team. Montes said the film\u2019s message\u00a0remains\u00a0simple and vital for the next generation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody\u2019s equal,\u201d Montes said. \u201cThe message is to be just fair and be nice, man. That\u2019s it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Current\u00a0accounting\u00a0senior Ray Banuelos added that the movie is about \u201cbreaking barriers,\u201d noting that its lessons apply to academic and personal challenges.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t let nothing hold you back. That\u2019s what I\u00a0get\u00a0from this movie.\u201d\u00a0Banuelos said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wilson concluded with a message for the community that mirrored the values of Coach Haskins.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou win at the level you are at. You\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0lower the bar,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cWhen you see where they are, you can identify those talents and help them to reach their goals. That\u2019s what Don Haskins did.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the film projected onto the screen in the\u00a0historic gymnasium, it was clear\u00a0that for\u00a0El Paso,\u202f\u201dGlory Road,\u201d\u202fis not just a\u00a0movie;\u00a0it is the floor they stand on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Adrian Gonzalez Jr. is a staff reporter for The Prospector and may be reached at\u202f[email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

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