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About The Film
In an era when gender discrimination in sports was the norm, Coach Selvig built a "house" of inclusion and empowerment by recruiting female athletes from the ranches, farms, small towns and sprawling Native reservations of picturesque Big Sky Country.
Underfunded and sidelined by men’s athletics, the Lady Griz bloomed under the fresh Title IX regulations that brought equal funding, scholarships and facilities to women’s collegiate sports. Selvig’s hard-driving style took the team from humble roots, playing before empty stands, and built them into the preeminent women’s basketball program west of the Rockies.
Coach Selvig drilled his young charges in the fundamentals, with an inclusive, barrier-breaking philosophy new for its time: he expected the women to play just as hard as men. Flanked and empowered by his female assistant coaches, drawn from the ranks of his former players, Selvig created a home -- a family -- leading generations of athletes to conference championships and NCAA appearances.
The Emmy®-Winning Filmmakers
Megan Harrington, Director-Producer-Writer
A former Lady Griz, Harrington grew up in Missoula, Montana playing under Rob Selvig. She is currently an Emmy®, Gabriel, and Christopher Award-winning filmmaker and Senior Producer at Family Theater Productions, and her passion is telling inspiring true stories that showcase the true, good, and beautiful. Her other Producer-Writer credits include NATIVE BALL: LEGACY OF A TRAILBLAZER, PRAY: THE STORY OF PATRICK PEYTON and THE DATING PROJECT.
Jonathan Cipiti, Director-Editor
Jonathan Cipiti is an Emmy®, Gabriel, and Christopher Award-winning director based out of New York. He has a strong passion for documentaries and believes in the transformational power that sharing someone’s story can have on the world. His documentary works include: NATIVE BALL: LEGACY OF A TRAILBLAZER, THE DATING PROJECT, ABSTRACTION, SILENCE AND BEAUTY, PRAY: THE STORY OF PATRICK PEYTON, and PLAYING LIKE A GIRL: THE HOUSE THAT ROB BUILT. His life has been changed by hearing the stories of others and his goal is to bring others into that space.
EnDORSEMENTS
Nancy Lieberman
"One of the unsung coaches in the history of women's basketball is...Rob Selvig."
Sheryl Swoopes
“ Today's players should definitely watch it so they understand the struggles that women had and the battles they fought, so that we could have better conditions and more opportunities today. One of the best basketball documentaries I have seen.”
Muffet McGraw
“I highly recommend...a fascinating film about one of the great pioneers of women’s basketball.”
Tara VanDerveer
“I encourage all sports fans to watch this.”
Ann Meyers Drysdale
“...in tears...so inspiring...”
John Stockton
“I highly recommend this documentary to everybody and their families boy or girl….I think it’s a great story to share with your families. I hope you truly enjoy it.”
Located on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Family Theater Productions' award-winning media has engaged families since 1947 with stories that unlock the heart. The company’s work includes feature films, TV series, podcasts, and digital series. Learn more at www.familytheater.org. If you’re interested in supporting Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built or other FTP projects through a tax-deductible donation, please, click here.
As filmmakers we are eagerly searching for stories to tell, stories that deserve to have a light shown on them. Stories that have the ability to make a change in individuals, communities, and the world. Stories that go beyond the limits of film. Learn more at WINDRIDERPRODUCTIONS.COM