With the recent popularity of high school sports-focused movies — Hollywood's
"When The Game Stands Tall" and
two documentaries have announced release dates in the last three weeks — here are 10 stories we've covered over the last two years that silver screen producers should pay attention to.
We've done the studios a solid with a few casting suggestions as well.
"Never Say Down"
Despite remarkably long odds, Zach Pickett not only made it back to the pool, he even scored a pair of goals.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
This is the truly inspirational story of
Zach Pickett, the
Ponderosa (Shingle Springs, Calif.) aquatics standout who, despite crushing his seventh vertebra in a diving accident the summer before his junior season, continues to thrive in every facet of high school life. The senior is believed to be the only paraplegic water polo player in the country.
Casting call
Considering Pickett has barely slowed down in every other phase, he
could probably play himself. But understated
Logan Lerman, who has starred in
the fantasy-adventure Percy Jackson films, would do a nice job.
Ed Harris would do a forceful, convicted rendition of Pickett's impassioned but rock-solid dad Tod and for his mother Judy,
Sandra Bullock could play the fit, inspirational, marathon-running mom, who has fought through a pair of cancer scares. For high-energy Ponderosa coach Matt Jaehn it should be Breaking Bad's
Aaron Paul, and former Disney actor
Gregg Sulkin could play Pickett's grounded and loyal best friend Hayden Cooksy.
