Reversal The Wrestling Movie-Commentary By Coach Bodnar
Comments on the movie "Reversal" by Coach Bodnar
Well It was 3:30 a.m. this morning and I couldn't sleep. I had purchased the movie Reversal but hadn't had the opportunity to watch it. I had a lot of things on my mind and decided to make some positive use of my early wake up and watch the movie.
To set the stage on my review and comments , I have to say that in the most incredible way I was extremely shocked by the setting for the movie. Growing up in Canonsburg, and Houston Pennsylvania I wrestled against Washington, Claysville, Trinity , Avella, McGuffey, etc. I lived six miles from Washington Pennsylvania and went to school at Canonsburg, and Chartiers-Houston High Schools.
I was raised by a father very much like the one in the movie and driven to excel in the same manner as the main character in Reversal. Having lost my mother prior to the age of 12 to leukemia, I was raised in an intense environment by my father who worked in the mills of Southwestern , Pennsylvania.
The movie took me back to my youth and to the tremenduous environment of amateur wrestling that existed in that area of the country. It was almost like I have been in a time capsule to see the names of the schools in the movie and the familiar sites that I grew up with.
This was a time when many first generation americans coming from immigrant parents and grand-parents were wanting something better for their children. Consequently driving them to perform, and excel and to step up another level in life to have more than they had.
I know that the movie is targeted toward the weight loss issue which is extremely important, however; I can't tell you how much more it meant to me. So many life lessons presented in the movie I really will recommend this movie to my own team, my family and friends.
I was so totally excited to watch a movie that actually has some positive life values, I applaud the people involved in producing the movie.
Being a secret optimist I was hoping that the young man would pull through and go on and win the state title and everything with the family would work out great. Most of the time in life and certainly for me, life has not worked out in the "Rose Garden" setting. For example at the end of the movie when the father and son were saying good by and the son told the father that he loved him and the father told him he loved him more. I never heard those words from my father, I think in those days people lived hard lives and were not very sensitive so many times there was not a whole lot of "I love you's" being passed around. Being told by my Sophomore English Teacher that I would not amount to anything and by my Dad that he would leave me nothing I was very enthralled with the story line that is portrayed.
I have coached this sport for over 34 years to try and rectify some of the issues presented in the movie. Still demanding excellence and work ethic and teaching the sport that I truly love. It has given me the opportunity to share some of the positive values of the sport and it's culture.
In summary I know that the issue is weight loss and it is an important issue but I would recommend this movie to any parent, wrestler, coach involved in the sport as we are involved with human lives and have to understand the whole person as we teach the sport.
In short buy the movie,(I get nothing for saying this)but I believe it is one of the better non-fiction sports movies that I have seen in a long time. It was certainly worth my 3:30 early morning wake up call. Again a special thanks to those who produced this movie and I hope that every wrestling team in the country will watch it!
"grappling for excellence"
Coach Bodnar
Interested in a great wrestling experience? Bring your team to the Best Of The West Duals In Pasco , WA.
32 Team Dual Style Tournament-Teams from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
December 21 and 22 , 2005
contact: coachbodnar@charter.net
http://www.pascohigh.com
Comments on the movie "Reversal" by Coach Bodnar
Well It was 3:30 a.m. this morning and I couldn't sleep. I had purchased the movie Reversal but hadn't had the opportunity to watch it. I had a lot of things on my mind and decided to make some positive use of my early wake up and watch the movie.
To set the stage on my review and comments , I have to say that in the most incredible way I was extremely shocked by the setting for the movie. Growing up in Canonsburg, and Houston Pennsylvania I wrestled against Washington, Claysville, Trinity , Avella, McGuffey, etc. I lived six miles from Washington Pennsylvania and went to school at Canonsburg, and Chartiers-Houston High Schools.
I was raised by a father very much like the one in the movie and driven to excel in the same manner as the main character in Reversal. Having lost my mother prior to the age of 12 to leukemia, I was raised in an intense environment by my father who worked in the mills of Southwestern , Pennsylvania.
The movie took me back to my youth and to the tremenduous environment of amateur wrestling that existed in that area of the country. It was almost like I have been in a time capsule to see the names of the schools in the movie and the familiar sites that I grew up with.
This was a time when many first generation americans coming from immigrant parents and grand-parents were wanting something better for their children. Consequently driving them to perform, and excel and to step up another level in life to have more than they had.
I know that the movie is targeted toward the weight loss issue which is extremely important, however; I can't tell you how much more it meant to me. So many life lessons presented in the movie I really will recommend this movie to my own team, my family and friends.
I was so totally excited to watch a movie that actually has some positive life values, I applaud the people involved in producing the movie.
Being a secret optimist I was hoping that the young man would pull through and go on and win the state title and everything with the family would work out great. Most of the time in life and certainly for me, life has not worked out in the "Rose Garden" setting. For example at the end of the movie when the father and son were saying good by and the son told the father that he loved him and the father told him he loved him more. I never heard those words from my father, I think in those days people lived hard lives and were not very sensitive so many times there was not a whole lot of "I love you's" being passed around. Being told by my Sophomore English Teacher that I would not amount to anything and by my Dad that he would leave me nothing I was very enthralled with the story line that is portrayed.
I have coached this sport for over 34 years to try and rectify some of the issues presented in the movie. Still demanding excellence and work ethic and teaching the sport that I truly love. It has given me the opportunity to share some of the positive values of the sport and it's culture.
In summary I know that the issue is weight loss and it is an important issue but I would recommend this movie to any parent, wrestler, coach involved in the sport as we are involved with human lives and have to understand the whole person as we teach the sport.
In short buy the movie,(I get nothing for saying this)but I believe it is one of the better non-fiction sports movies that I have seen in a long time. It was certainly worth my 3:30 early morning wake up call. Again a special thanks to those who produced this movie and I hope that every wrestling team in the country will watch it!
"grappling for excellence"
Coach Bodnar
Interested in a great wrestling experience? Bring your team to the Best Of The West Duals In Pasco , WA.
32 Team Dual Style Tournament-Teams from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
December 21 and 22 , 2005
contact: coachbodnar@charter.net
http://www.pascohigh.com
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