When Will Harris, a kid who’s short on brutality but long on dreams, gets a chance to play “roarball,” a cutthroat basketball game, he jumps at it. But his fellow team members and coach soon discover that jumping is the only talent Will possesses. He can’t roar loud enough to scare a common loon. And his heart is softer than a marshmallow.

Will’s coach and teammates try to train the new player with their best strategies on the roarball court. But is Will too short and sympathetic to help his team win games?

Goat is Sony Pictures’ new animated sports adventure-comedy about an unlikely small person chasing his huge, impossible dreams. The family-friendly film releases in theatres February 13, and features the voices of Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) as Will and Gabrielle Union (City of Angels) as Jett, the enormous panther and team captain with the daunting task of training Will.

Not just another “underdog rises to become top dog” film, Goat is full of surprises and a major story twist that will have viewers on the edge of their theatre seats cheering. Because nothing is more inspiring than watching someone face danger and persevere to become a hero.

Will Power

“Will is a little goat in a sport dominated by big animals,” says NBA superstar and Goat executive producer Stephen Curry, in an interview for International Business Times.

The film is also Curry’s debut as an animated movie character. The athlete voices the character of Lenny, a giraffe on Will’s team who encourages him to never give up. Curry relates well to Will’s story of adversity, since he often felt overlooked during his early pro basketball career. Despite those doubtful beginnings, the star player’s grit and determination finally earned him a career filled with accolades, including 11 all-star games and two MVP awards.

 “Believing in yourself-that’s how heroes get it done,” Curry says.

Sounds moving. But is sheer willpower enough?

Total Team Effort

Will discovers that he needs a team around him to achieve his personal goals. Lessons on how to roar like a warrior. Encouragement to keep fighting when he faces danger. Cheers for him when he gets it right.

The same is true for the game of life, which often gets brutal. We need Jesus to empower us and other believers to teach us how to fight. To cheer us on. To help us reach our God-inspired goals. God loves to use unlikely people like Will to show the world how strong He is. He also likes to use the family of God to surround the weak ones and help them win.

Our faith may be kid-sized, but with God on our side and a team to encourage us, we will overcome.

llustrations: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation

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