"Have fun," coach Resler tells the players after every timeout. There are others, including the coach, whose stories could be the centerpiece, but none better than Darnellia's for all the components of compelling film-making. Centerscore ditched Chronicles and settled on the far more intriguing Surviving High School - an active title that evoked both the triumph and struggle of adolescence. The one issue she has to conquer is, believing in how smart she is." The documentary by director Ward Serrill perhaps too much focuses on Darnellia's challenges, but she deserves attention as charismatic and downright cinematic as she is. The Breakdown The Good Surviving High Schools storyline. "What I know," Coach Resler says, "is that Darnellia is brilliant. Besides the main game of picking your way through the plot, there are also a bunch of mini-games that have an actual impact on the story. That romantic view of sports is tempered by the fact that they don't always win the game but almost always the heart. Even though I'm not interested in spending much time watching athletic events, I am a sucker for theses athletics stories because they always depict young people finding truth and honor and their futures along the way. The themes for each season best symbolize the scorched-earth attitude of the scrappy coach and his warriors: Pride of Lions and Pack of Wolves are two of the scarier ones, coupled with chants such as "Draw Blood" and "'Put your teeth in their necks." No prisoners in their game, but it all does make for an exciting doc. Along the way they'll have to fight the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, her pregnancy, and talented competition. His recruit, Darnellia Russell, will help him reach that goal of going to the state championship. Bill Resler, a middle aged tax professor, who has a heart and a dream.
In late 1990's Seattle, the Roosevelt High Roughriders get a greenhorn coach in Prof. No offensive strategy, just run like hell." Sounds like Hoop Dreams territory-the same go gettem' spirit resides with the newest entry in the basketball rags to riches genre, Heart of the Game.