The Real Stories of Rez Ball That Inspired the Netflix Sports Drama

As a long-time cinema enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of sports dramas, I must say that “Rez Ball” is a breath of fresh air. Having grown up on the football fields of Oklahoma and now residing in the basketball courts of West Texas, I can relate to the passion and intensity that Freeland describes about rez ball.

Despite the fact that the Netflix sports drama “Rez Ball,” which will be showcased at the Toronto International Film Festival, is loosely based on articles and a book penned by journalist Michael Powell, co-writer Sterlin Harjo admits he didn’t delve into all those sources.

He stated that he didn’t rely on reading the book, but rather, Sydney Freeland served as his primary resource or inspiration for the project. Notably, both Harjo and Freeland are indigenous people, while Powell is not. Harjo, recognized primarily as a co-creator of “Reservation Dogs,” spent most of his youth playing football in Oklahoma, whereas Freeland has personal experience with basketball on a Navajo reservation, similar to the characters in their narrative.

He mentions that she was part of the local community where they played basketball together, and he found it particularly meaningful because it was based on a true story that resonated with them both, feeling genuine and authentic.

The narrative structure of “Rez Ball” is inspired by the authentic basketball culture among Native American high schools, as depicted in the 2019 book “Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation” by Powell. However, the events and characters presented in “Rez Ball” are a work of fiction crafted by authors Freeland and Harjo, drawing upon their familiarity with the world they aimed to depict, leading them to create their unique storyline.

“For us it was really trying to build this world from the ground up,” Freeland says.

What is Rez Ball about?

The Real Stories of Rez Ball That Inspired the Netflix Sports Drama

The phrase “rez ball” is commonly used for basketball played within Native American reservations, much like how football is deeply ingrained in the culture of West Texas (as depicted in “Friday Night Lights”). According to Freeland, this game enjoys a fervent fan base.

In her own words, “At home, we lack professional or college-level sports teams. Instead, we mainly focus on high school sports. Interestingly, many indigenous communities have a strong tradition in basketball, which is why it’s so popular there.

In her memories, Freeland recalls the fierce rivalry during her playing days, even requiring police escorts for games due to the escalated hostilities between the different tribes.

In the story Canyon Dreams, the action revolves around the Chinle High School Wildcats in Chinle, Arizona. Conversely, the narrative of Rez Ball centers on the Chuska Warriors from Chuska, New Mexico. The main character is Nataanii Jackson (Kusem Goodwind), who is grappling with the loss of his mother and sister, both killed in a car accident involving alcohol. His friend Jimmy Holiday (Kauchani Bratt) finds himself under the limelight when Nataannii takes his own life tragically.

In this sports film, the team must overcome their grief and triumph for themselves and their community. Along the journey, they incorporate elements distinctive to their backgrounds, such as discussing strategies using the Navajo language. As Freeland notes, “We share similarities in the use of verbal banter in Native languages. Teams taunting each other but not understanding one another, yet we aimed to unify this unique aspect by having them actually speak the Navajo language.

Freeland and Harjo found themselves inspired by films such as Hoosiers while working on their screenplay. According to Harjo, sports carry immense significance, almost a matter of life and death. “Sports exert a tremendous amount of pressure,” Harjo explains, “and when you apply additional stress to something that’s already fragile or weak, it’s bound to shatter.

A female coach

The Real Stories of Rez Ball That Inspired the Netflix Sports Drama

Instead of the usual scenario where a man appears and transforms the team, it’s Heather Hobbs (Jessica Matten), the Warriors’ coach, who has recently come back home after her professional basketball career. Freeland shares that they intentionally avoided bringing in someone like Gene Hackman – another nod to the movie ‘Hoosiers’ – as a “white savior.” The book mainly revolves around Raul Mendoza, a coaching force for four decades on the Navajo reservation, who is married to a Navajo woman but himself is not Navajo. He is respected, although perhaps not universally loved.

In her character, Heather served not only as a means to challenge stereotypes but also as a tribute to the flourishing culture of women’s rez ball. Freeland explains that historically, girls’ teams on reservations have often outperformed the boys’ teams. Heather’s last name is a homage to Gwen Hobbs, a Native athlete who was enshrined in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas hall of fame. In one scene, the Chuska girls team is depicted dominating the boys.

Having a female leader in a Native American community also just made sense, Harjo says. “Both Sydney and I come from matriarchal communities,” he says. “You get disciplined by the women and you have strong women to look up to whether you’re a woman or a young man or whatever.”

Players who can ball

The Real Stories of Rez Ball That Inspired the Netflix Sports Drama

To add to the authenticity of the project, Freeland had a key demand: She wanted Native actors who could actually play basketball. With casting director Angelique Midthunder she put out a casting call that required her potential stars to not just read a scene, but also demonstrate that they could shoot a free throw, a three-pointer, and a layup. They initially got 5,000 submissions.

One thing I’m particularly proud of is not just that the children in this film come from the very communities they represent—they’re urban Indians, reservation kids, and everything in between—but what makes it even more authentic is that there are no stand-ins. Every child playing a role in this movie is actually participating in the game.

During the production process, the actors participated in both acting workshops and Navajo language courses, as well as basketball training sessions. It’s noteworthy that they were all newcomers to film sets, as Freeland points out. For the Toronto premiere, some of them didn’t have passports yet, so those needed to be organized accordingly.

She comments, “These children are genuine; they’re truly playing basketball, putting on quite a show.

2024-09-08 16:06