Whether spectators or active participants, students are regularly affected by the world of sports. For many of them, athletic competition is the most energized part of their high school experience. The intensity that sports engender is one of their primary attractions, and teachers can build on this emotional focus to engage students and, more importantly, get them to think deeply about the cultural narratives and archetypes being constructed in our present-day lives. The two projects outlined in this article present distinct, intentional ways teachers can channel sports' appeal to foster thoughtful discourse and meaningful research on our culture's desire for hero and myth. Using Joseph Campbell's notions of archetypes and the hero's journey, students can examine current sports stories to help them understand modern society and myth creation.