The Heart of the Game

Last updated
The Heart of the Game
The Heart of the Game.jpeg
Poster
Directed byWard Serrill
Written byWard Serrill
Produced byWard Serrill
StarringBill Resler
Darnellia Russell
Joyce Walker
Ludacris
Distributed by Miramax Films
Release dates
  • June 11, 2005 (2005-06-11)(Seattle International Film Festival)
  • June 9, 2006 (2006-06-09)(United States)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$11,300

The Heart of the Game is a 2005 sports documentary film about the Roosevelt Roughriders girls basketball team directed by Ward Serrill. The movie is centered on their star player Darnellia Russell and the Roughriders new coach Bill Resler. The film is narrated by Ludacris.

Contents

Plot

The film begins two years before African-American Darnellia Russell attends the predominantly white and upper-class Roosevelt High School. Bill Resler, a tax law professor at the University of Washington, becomes their new girls basketball coach. Resler, a coach who uses animal and nature themes to motivate his team, believes they can win the Washington State championship but they fall short in the first game of the state tournament.

A couple of years later, Russell attends Roosevelt High School where she makes the junior-varsity team. Learning of her natural talent, Resler recruits her for the varsity squad. In the following years, the talented Roosevelt team falls short of winning the state championship in close games. Russell receives letters of interest from several major universities. However, after her junior year, she becomes pregnant by her longtime boyfriend and drops out of school.

After giving birth to a daughter, Russell returns to Roosevelt for her fifth year. However, the WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) bans her from playing basketball due to a rule that states that high school students can only play on their teams for four years, unless a hardship is involved. Russell, believing that having an unplanned child constitutes a hardship, appeals the decision. Attorney Ken Luce, located in Tacoma, Washington, represents her in court and a judge rules in Russell's favor. The WIAA takes the matter to court again, and for the second time the judge grants Russell the right to continue playing. However, the WIAA files a lawsuit against Russell and Roosevelt High School. In defiance of the WIAA, the Roughriders continue to play with Russell on the team.

Russell and her team return to the Washington State high school basketball championship tournament and play rivals, the Garfield Bulldogs in the finals. She leads the team to the school's first state championship. Two days later, the WIAA dropped their case. Russell graduates from high school with honors and is named the Northwest Player of the Year.

Although Russell didn't receive any college scholarships, she attended North Seattle Community College.

After the movie

On November 10, 2007, Roosevelt fired Resler as head coach. Roosevelt said that they wanted to go in a "different direction." [1]

On July 8, 2008, it was announced that Darnellia Russell had committed to attend Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada for the 2008-09 season. Lakehead is a member of the OUA (Ontario Universities Athletic) Conference and the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport). [2]

However, soon after Russell began going to Lakehead, their Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jon Kreiner announced that she had decided to return home to Seattle and not play for the Thunderwolves.

Kreiner said Russell wanted to return home as she found being separated from her two daughters was much more difficult than she had anticipated.

Russell said it was not an easy decision. “I am really sorry for letting everyone down. I knew it was going to be very difficult leaving my kids but this was way more difficult than I can put into words. I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to get me to Thunder Bay; the Lakehead University Athletics Department, coaching staff, players, friends in Seattle, my Seattle coach and all the media who have been so kind to me. This was a tremendous opportunity for me and my decision to leave had nothing to do with the coaching staff or players. I miss my kids and need to be with them.”

Coach Kreiner said he was disappointed but was sympathetic to Russell’s choice. “Darnellia’s decision to go back home is an understandable one but also a disappointing one. I had hoped that she would take a little more time to give it more of a chance but we are very happy to have provided her the best opportunity and situation we could for her to achieve her degree while playing at Lakehead University. Darnellia has brought great international media attention to our program and I am honoured that she decided to play for us.”

Lakehead Athletics Director Tom Warden said he understood Russell’s decision. “I understand about commitment to family and we’re very sorry it didn’t work out for her here at Lakehead. We wish her the best of luck in the future.”

Mackenzie Argens, one of the freshmen Resler inserted during the state championship game, received a basketball scholarship to the University of Washington. A torn ACL sidelined her for the 2007-2008 season but she was granted a medical redshirt. She started 6 games as a redshirt freshman during the 2008-2009 season and averaged 4.1 points per game.

In 2012, Darnellia Russell became an assistant coach for Shoreline Community College in North Shoreline, Wash. She became head coach early in 2014 and served through the 2016-17 season. [3]

Bill Resler died in Seattle on Feb. 4, 2017, of meningitis at the age of 71. [4]

Making of the film

Director Ward Serrill followed the Roosevelt Roughriders girls' basketball team for six seasons as he captured their story on film. Shortly thereafter, with help from Flying Spot, Inc. and others, The Heart of the Game was created and met with critical acclaim.

Awards

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop Blanchet High School</span> School in Seattle, Washington, United States

Bishop Blanchet High School is a private coeducational Catholic high school located north of Green Lake in Seattle, United States. The school was founded in 1954 by the Archdiocese of Seattle, and named for the first bishop of the diocese, A.M.A. Blanchet (1797–1887). Originally named Blanchet High School, in 1999 the title Bishop was added to make the school easily identified as Catholic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakehead Thunderwolves</span> Athletic teams representing Lakehead University

The Lakehead Thunderwolves are the U Sports varsity athletic teams that represent Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shorewood High School (Washington)</span> Public school

Shorewood High School is one of two public high schools in the Shoreline School District in Shoreline, Washington, United States. The school originally opened in 1975 and is the largest high school in the district. It serves students in grades nine through twelve. Shorewood accepts students west of Interstate 5 (I-5), and is fed students from Einstein Middle School and local private schools. As of 2014, approximately 53% of students are White and 47% are visible minorities. The school mascot is the Stormray, chosen in 2021 to replace the Thunderbird after the decision to retire that mascot in an effort to be more respectful of Native Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bear Creek School</span> Private Christian school in Redmond, Washington, US

The Bear Creek School is a preschool through grade twelve private school in Redmond, Washington. Educating around 840 students, the school is a non-denominational Christian religious school, focusing on college preparation. It was established in 1988. The head of school is Patrick Carruth. As of 2020, school review website Niche ranks The Bear Creek School as the best Christian high school, third best private K-12 school, and seventh best college prep private high schools in Washington state.

Joyce Walker is an American women's basketball player who is most renowned for being the third woman to join the Harlem Globetrotters, following fellow LSU All American, Jackie White.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercer Island High School</span> American public high school

Mercer Island High School (MIHS) is a public high school located in Mercer Island, Washington, United States, as part of the Mercer Island School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shorecrest High School</span> Public school in Shoreline, Washington, United States

Shorecrest High School is a public high school in Shoreline, Washington, United States, one of two high schools in the Shoreline School District. Shorecrest was founded in 1961. Its mascot is Otis the Fighting Scot and students refer to themselves as "Scots", or the "Highlanders", a reference to the Clan Gordon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roosevelt High School (Washington)</span> Public school in Seattle, Washington, United States

Roosevelt High School (RHS) is a public secondary school located in the Roosevelt neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Opened in 1922 to relieve overcrowding at Lincoln High School, it ranks as the second-largest high school in Seattle Public Schools. NPR described RHS as "an above-average school in a below-average school district" based on test scores in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Rainier High School</span> Public high school in Des Moines, Washington, United States

Mount Rainier High School is a secondary school in Des Moines, Washington, United States; named for Mount Rainier which can be seen quite well from the school on a clear day. Mount Rainier serves approximately 1700 students and has been active since 1957. It was created to handle the overflow from nearby Highline High School, the district's first high school located in Burien, Washington. The original, aging facility was replaced with a new building at the same location; it opened in September 2007.

Cascade Christian Schools (CCS) is a district of private schools in Pierce County, Washington, United States. They are three elementary school campuses in three early learning centers, and a junior high/high school, providing Christ-centered education for approximately 1700 students. Their motto is "To glorify God by providing an excellent Christ-centered education dedicated to developing discerning leaders who are spiritually, personally, and academically prepared to impact their world".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariner High School (Everett, Washington)</span> Public school in Everett, Washington, United States

Mariner High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Snohomish County, Washington, United States, just south of Everett. It opened on September 8, 1970, as the only high school serving the Mukilteo School District; it held this title until Kamiak High School opened in 1993. It currently serves grades 9 through 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridgefield High School (Washington)</span> Public high school in Ridgefield, Washington, United States

Ridgefield High School (RHS) is a public high school in Ridgefield, Washington in Clark County. RHS is the only public high school in the Ridgefield School District. As of 2012, the school reported 728 students. RHS is a member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Southwest District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Hale High School (Washington)</span> Public school in Seattle, Washington, United States

Nathan Hale High School is a public high school in Seattle, Washington, United States, operated by Seattle Public Schools. It was a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools and uses a project-based learning curriculum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Interscholastic Activities Association</span>

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) is the governing body of athletics and activities for secondary education schools in the state of Washington. As of February 2011, the private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization consists of nearly 800 member high schools and middle/junior high schools, both public and private.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noelle Quinn</span> American basketball player/coach (born 1985)

Noelle Quinn is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Quinn played in the WNBA for Minnesota Lynx, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, and the Storm. She won the WNBA Championship with the Storm in 2018. She also played for Botaş SK in the Turkish Women's Basketball League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodinville High School</span> Public school in Woodinville, Washington, United States

Woodinville High School is a public secondary school in the northwest United States in Woodinville, Washington, a suburb northeast of Seattle. Serving grades 9 through 12, it educates the eastern portion of the Northshore School District and is a member of the KingCo 4A athletic conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briann January</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1987)

Briann January is a former American professional basketball player for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and current assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun. After a successful college career at Arizona State University, January was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA draft. She has also played for the Phoenix Mercury, the Connecticut Sun, and the Seattle Storm.

King's High School is a private, interdenominational Christian school, located in Shoreline, Washington, just north of Seattle. It is part of King's Schools. It enrolls approximately 470 students in 9th through 12th grade. King's High School also has elementary and middle schools on the same campus.

Kristen O'Neill is an American women's basketball player, a 6'1 versatile guard, formerly playing at the University of Washington. She was a three-time co-captain and four-year starter. She played for FIBA's Euroleague teams in Madrid and Burgos, Spain and in Ireland. In 2008, O'Neill returned to Seattle and played in the WNBA for the Seattle Storm. She is currently the Associate Head Women's Basketball coach for Seattle University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelsey Plum</span> American basketball player (born 1994)

Kelsey Christine Plum is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, she earned her first All-WNBA First Team selection and was named the WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) in her first WNBA All-Star Game. She also won gold medals in 3x3 basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics and in 5x5 basketball in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Craig."Prep Basketball | Resler out at Roosevelt" seattletimes.com, November 10, 2007
  2. ↑ Aylward, Mike. "Wolves Announce Recruits for 08-09" thunderwolves.ca, July 7, 2008
  3. ↑ "Add new comment | The Ebbtide | Shoreline Student Newspaper". theebbtide.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-06.
  4. ↑ Ringer, Sandy. https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/high-school/bill-resler-former-roosevelt-girls-basketball-coach-dies-at-71/ "Bill Resler, former Roosevelt girls basketball coach, dies at 71" seattletimes.com, February 6, 2017
  5. ↑ "The Billy Awards"
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.