Kings of the Court
by Jason Keck and Paul Gorman
Comedy – screenplay
Think Dodgeball and Old School combined
Story: 2 mid 40’s ex high school tennis players decide to try to relive their HS glory days…neither one actually graduated from hs due to personal reasons - (one had a baby and got married started successful business, one went to work with his parents company?) – so they take advantage of a loophole and become friends with the local hs coach who sees how good they still are and helps them get on the team. The KOC came close but were never able to win the state title and it is their mission to make it happen this time…only this time they are married with kids and maybe a little overconfident in theirs and the coaches belief they can carry the team.
Scenes:
- Slow motion scene of KOC leading the rest of the team towards the court, confident looks on their face, swinging the rax, trying to look intimidating but it’s funny at the same time
- KOC of the court coming home and telling their wife and kids what they are going to do or already have done…join the team and take it to the state finals
- Tennis players at a party like old school, big crazy party, get crazy (after a big tourney but not state) they impress the pretty girls and then the popular girls start to like them and want to hang out with the tennis team
Maybe a couple glimpses of the KOC back in the day…comparing it kind of to how things are today?
- Lots of scenes with the KOC sort of holding session, trying to impart their wisdom on the hs kids, teaching them the ways of the world…secrets and tactics on how to win tennis matches…maybe some slightly questionable methods
Conflict:
- Other teams who think they are better, that we have no chance
- Other kids at the school who think tennis players are stupid/geeks…they obviously aren’t based on how they look but no boady really knows them so they are outcasts
- Coaches from the other teams pissed about the KOC, trying to get them off the team and calling them names trying to humiliate them, but the KOC can’t be humiliated
- Maybe one of the KOC gets hurt playing and has to sit out a match, no one thinks they will have a chance
Characters:
- The kings of the court, Paul and Jason (change names)
- Rest of the high school team, boys and girls?
- Other kids at the school, popular crowd football team,
- Tennis players on other high school teams
- Kids, teachers, officials
- Coaches on the other teams
Start: from a distance the scene rolls up on 2 dudes playing tennis , hard to see how old they are but you can tell they know how to hit a tennis ball…as you get closer you can see that they are older and a little out of shape, both wearing bandanas attempting to pull off their best john mcenroe and don’t really look like tennis players…they are exhausted and both flop down on their chairs, completely worn out and chugging their water bottles…after they catch their breath they start talking about how in shape they were back when they were in high school…turns out they went to hs together and both played on the local hs team…they were pretty good and actually lead their team all the way to the state finals, but ended up losing to the big city rival, something that has always left a bitter taste in their mouth. They discuss how they think if they were to just get in shape that they could beat the hs players of today…they laugh it off and start walking back on the court and just then the local hs tennis coach (who has been watching them from a distance and concocting a plan – he is impressed with their abilities) walks up and introduces himself through the fence…he is kind of a loud, crazy guy but smart and looking for way to improve his team and is willing to consider anything…they strike up a spirited conversation which eventually leads to the coach telling them about a way that they can join the hs tennis team(neither of the KOC technically graduate from hs)…the coach is impressed with the KOC, he really believes that they can help him win against the other teams in the region…the coach and the koc discuss the intricacies and exactly how it can work, why it is really so easy and why there is no reason they shouldn’t do it…the KOC are dreamers, but understand they might actually be able to do this, they realize that they are both on board with this… they give each other a look, nod their heads and give a wry smile...
You see the KOC back in their daily life, married with kids, cooking dinner, being funny with his family trying to find the right moment to bring up to his wife that they have figured out a way to join the hs tennis team…with the coaches permission…they are confident they have all the details worked out, this is a cant miss idea, they are actually going to go through with it aaaannnd they are confidently hoping for the full support of family-wife and kids (kids are in middle school and high school, they go to the same school, it s nightmare for the kids and the wife of course is completely humiliated, but they stand by their husbands…no matter how utterly embarrassing is it sure to be…
Middle: The KOC of the court meet up with the hs team on their next practice day…the coach is eager to introduce them to the team. The KOC are a little nervous but confident and the tennis team has no freekin idea what the heck is going on, they can’t believe the coach has actually brought these 2 old out of shape ex tennis playing idiots to the courts…the coach listens to the team going off against the koc and challenges his team to hit with the KOC to see if they are any good…the kids are saying alright lets go, they are confident they can take these guys no problem…they start to hit the ball and the KOC are smacking winners…the team is surprised and cant really believe it…they decide to play a few games of doubles…the KOC jump out to a quick start and kind of trounce the kids…the coach steps in and stops it and discusses how the KOC are going to be on the team from now and they better just get used to it…the team, now seeming somewhat defeated and humiliated themselves accepts what the coach says and the KOC and they keep practicing…
The KOC and the rest of the team they eventually strike up friendship and begin to play pretty well together…the coach is smiling because he feels like he finally has that team that might be able to get to state…things they start to get pretty good…soon its Friday night, the first matchup is here with one of the other local hs teams(like highland park)…this is their first opportunity to test themselves against the competition..we also get our first look at the other team, this is a school known to be good at tennis, they are also known to be rich and snobby but they take their tennis seriously and expect to win…when they see the KOC on the other team the other hs team, the kids, the parents and the coaches are all laughing and cant believe what they are seeing…the koc of the court and their team are a little dejected but not deterred…the coach and the KOC have hardened these kids up a little and they are eager to show they aren’t afraid if this team…determined to win as well…once the matches start the other team and the parents an coaches see that the KOC are actually pretty dam good and their kids are losing to them…they change from laughing to mad and trying to figure out how this is happening and try to put a stop to it…in their opinion it can’t possibly be allowed for the KOC to play on the team…
They are able to get the team in to the district playoffs and the KOC are actually the 2 best singles players on the team. Going to other schools, fighting thru insults and good players
End: KOC take the team and the entire school at this point to the state finals…extremely close, private school is in the final and they are all richy rich. KOC and the rest of the team pulls out all the stops to win the match…very dramatic, totally packed crowd, everyone going nuts, and the KOC win it all…get to go back home with the trophy and the wife and kids.