The Heart of the Game: Newsletter #13

Website Updated

At long last, I have found enough breathing room to get our website up to date. Once again thanks to Jake Farmer for the great work.

Check out The Director's Official Website: www.heartofthegame.org

DVD Release Date

Looks like we will be releasing the DVD sometime in early 2007, right in the heart of basketball season. I have included over an hour of never-before seen scenes, including a feauturette on the making of the movie, an interview and appearance with Ludacris, and a bunch of other crazy The Heart of the Game stuff.

Check Out the Reviews

This is not official by any means, but The Heart of the Game might be the highest rated film of the year to date. (If not #1, it is surely in the top 5%.) Check out a large sample of the reviews at our website on the new Resources page.

Study Guide Available for Teachers

To support the educational outreach of The Heart of the Game we have created a downloadable study/curriculum guide for teachers, coaches, counselors, and other educators. Available for download at our website on the Resources page.

Resler Book Coming Out

Bill Resler, coach of the Roughriders and star of the movie, has written a book (full of lies) with Casey McNerthney. Heart of the Team: Life Lessons On and Off the Court (Sasquatch Books) will be released in December. The book includes lots of stories not included in the movie. Hardcopy 256 pages with pictures. This and other News in the Press Room of our website.

Special Screening for the Roughrider Band

The Heart of the Game will be screened for the very last time in Seattle at a special fundraising event for the Roughrider Band, Saturday, October 28th at 9:00 at the Bay Theater in Ballard. Tickets are $25 and are available at the door or at Roosevelt High School, (206) 252-4810. Big thanks to Miramax for contributing the rental cost of the print for this special event.

Soundtrack Available

The Angel composed a fantastic score for The Heart of the Game. It includes the song "Believe it" by the Angel featuring Mystic. Listen to tracks at the Miramax website: www.heartofthegame-film.com

The Last Word (for now)

The most recent best memories are these: 1) Going out to the Crest Theater after the film had been in Seattle theaters for 12 weeks and finding over 200 people there; 2) Going to Port Townsend with Resler for a packed house at the Rose Theater and hearing an entire room laughing, shouting, clapping; 3) Traveling to Juneau Alaska to a special screening for kids from the alternative high school and hearing a teacher tell me: "This is amazing. I would never have believed these kids would sit still for even 15 minutes." At its heart I wanted to make a film that would create some community, that would inspire folks who needed it most. As I walked out into the Alaska rain and wind and on down the street, I felt like we had won the game.

As to what's next for me: Well how about a film on tango in America? Here we go again!

Love Works.

— Ward