Seward

Still haunted by years of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of his father, an aging ex-hockey player schools an over-bearing coach on the dangers of tough love, inspiring him to let his daughter “just play”.

Director “Deb Pralle” Statement:

When I was in the 3rd grade I joined a softball team with my best friend Jennifer. Barely knowing what the sport was, my sweet dad bought me a used glove and bat, taught me to swing, and the importance of keeping my eye on the ball. He even volunteered to be assistant coach to Jennifer’s dad.

A truly amazing summer. Playing with my friends, running the bases, and getting ice cream after.

Until the head coach started acting like we were training for the World Series, he yelled when a grounder made it through our legs, threw his clipboard down if we struck out more than once a game, and most humiliating, berated his own daughter as she struggled to learn to pitch.

If my dad hadn’t been there to soften these outbursts and give us much-needed cheerleading, I may have never played again.

In 2020, 54% of kids ages 6-17 played some kind of organized sport. It’s in the fabric of our culture and for good reason. Working on a team towards a tangible goal is (should be) a positive experience for kids. But we all know that some parents and coaches take things so far that it borders on abusive.

When Derek and Kristen brought me Seward I knew we had an opportunity to shine a light on the profound damage that can be caused by parents/coaches who push kids so far, they suffer life-long trauma.

It’s a hero’s journey of sorts. The broken character of Seward finds healing and inspires all of to step up and demand that kid'’ sport should first and foremost be to PLAY. It should always be for the love of the game.