When Jenny Mackenzie decided to leave her job as a
social worker at age 42, she decided to marry her love of helping
people with her dream of going to film school. In her mind she could
now share what she had witnessed in her professional life with a larger
audience; the way people overcome life’s struggles. Like most
administrators, or sticklers for punishment, Jenny coached her youngest
daughter’s soccer team while attending film school. However through the
two unseeingly connected events, she realized her big cinematic
project would be closer than originally expected.
Her daughter’s team,
the Mighty Cheetahs, were in there third year of play. The first two
years, the girls had gone undefeated and decided to take the challenge
to the next level…the boy’s division. Coincidentally, Jenny found
elements of a good story right in front of her, compelling characters
and drama all locked in the battle over youth soccer. Like the line in
the film, if the boys win they hadn’t really accomplished anything
because they were expected to, but if they lose then it would be
humiliating, creating emotions for players and parents alike.
The film
premiers on HBO today, May 28th so set your TiVo if we didn’t give you
enough warning. 8 year old Lizzie narrates the film which reminds us
the “lessons learned in the competitive athletics and how sports have
been one of the most effective instruments of social change.” Click
here to find out more on the film’s premiere by the makers. Their site
also has some really interesting statistics behind the development of
boys and girls and how each is treated in society in their youth. We
hope you catch the work; it looks to be really moving and is nice to
see it come from the world of youth soccer.
~Sam@bluesombrero.com
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