The Way Back: A Catholic and Not Catholic Film

The Way Back, starring Ben Affleck is a both a Catholic movie and it is not. You might wonder how both can be true. Theologian Richard McBrien emphasizes that Catholic spirituality is “both/and” not “either/or.” This both/and proposition is what makes "The Way Back" worth seeing in the theater and discussing further.

I am always hesitant to refer to a film as a "Catholic movie." When I read that description or hear someone say that, I want to ask What do you mean? Forgive my rhetorical question. On one hand, I know what that means. And on the other, I want clarity. Why? To label any creative project, painting, piece of art, or production as "Catholic" leaves a door wide open. Is it sacramental? Is it culturally Catholic? Is it lower case "c" catholic or proper noun Catholic? Does that descriptor bring the faithful in? Turn others away? As James Joyce wrote in “Finnegans Wake:” “Catholic means ‘Here comes everybody'.” That description gets us nowhere...or everywhere. So what to do? Explain how, tell me why. I'm listening.

Here are my two cents:

"The Way Back" offers a fair portrait of the culture in a Catholic parish with a Catholic school. The parish priest has known Jack Cunningham for most of his life. He knows his family members by name and presided over his father's funeral. Jack shows proper respect for the pastor in a way that those who have been raised in a community like this can and should do. I always remind my students Catholic is the adjective, Christian is the noun—Catholicism emphasizes the experience with God is with and through other people in a way that other Christian traditions do not. Community is paramount. 

Jack, the former two-time MVP basketball star is asked to take over the boys' varsity basketball program. The halls and on the walls of Bishop Hayes High School are riddled with signs and sacramentals, banners and trophies of bygone era—but most noticeably from 25 years prior, when he played ball. The team's opponents have explicitly Catholic names: St. John the Baptist, Memorial Catholic, Redemptorist and others that color our parochial communities. The viewer has a sense that Bishop Hayes like so many Catholic schools once had a glorious and robust past and today stands on the verge of closing. Good people who give a lot are why their doors stay open. For the young men on the team and for Jack it is a grace that it is. 

What I find most beautiful and compelling about "The Way Back" as a Catholic isn't the culture with which I am already familiar. No, the Catholic imagination and vision and how it is portrayed with worth reflection. For example, Jack arrives at the rectory and doesn't know when he has been summoned by the pastor. He sits down waiting and the screen shows what looks to be the screen on a confessional. In time, we find it is simply a window that let us see into the room. One can't help but wonder if there will in fact be some sort of confession from Jack in meeting with the priest. Instead, I have to think this encounter was foreshadowing a necessary reconciliation in Jack's life. I believe we need the sacraments—both capital and lower case "s."

I found real beauty in the industrial setting of the film. The cinematography spans over the cranes of Long Beach and the shores of San Pedro. We often see Jack, who works as a foreman welding, or sitting solo on a project with a marine layer coloring the sky. I appreciate the quiet and the expanse of this space where Jack checks in and out, often drinking and getting by. But there is nothing that speaks to what it means to be Catholic or a Catholic film in this space.

Furthermore, Jack's necessary recovery from alcoholism and his overwhelming grief does cannot be attributed to the Catholic faith, prayers of the community or leaders in the Church. Fortunately, he has unconditional love from his mom and sister and even his wife. His team grows to care for their coach, but that relationship was comprised and severed because of his usage. One has to wonder if he can make it. There by the grace of God....

There are many lines in this movie that speak to something other than faith. Jack and his estranged wife visit the grave of their son Michael, who died of a brain tumor. His battle against pediatric cancer was long, painful and unfair. In their grief, Jack says "I cannot believe he is in a better place. That place is with you and me." It was hard to hear such brutal honesty but I believe that line needed to be said. Faith is not meant to be an escape from reality. Faith ought not serve as a rationalization in the deepest of loss. Faith should however, offer a crack in the window of hope. That maybe there is a something more, something awaiting, something new never in spite of the loss but WITH it. The viewer is waiting for Jack to rediscover, reconnect or draw upon any faith he once had. That is not his particular story....and that's ok for me as a Catholic. Why? I think God can carry that burden.

As a sports fan and a Catholic, I entered into "The Way Back" expecting all the feel good sports-movie-tropes a film can muster. I sat in my recliner seat ready for themes of redemption, guts and glory...the kind that can only be found on the hardwood. I was met with much more. My vision was stretched as I noticed what was Catholic and navigated through what was not. The combination made for a powerful story and experience. Coupled with the fact that Ben Affleck has been through the rehab that his character must do, I also wondered if he was acting. Here by God's grace, he is once again. And that's a good thing.

Photo Credits
Movie Poster
Team Shot
Profile
Hug

Advice for Coaches of a Common Sport, Common Season

There is a shared experience between graduates on both sides of Winton Drive in Concord, California that can sometimes be difficult to explain. Having graduated from Carondelet High School, I hold the same amount of school pride for my alma mater as I do for De La Salle. When either team succeeds, I savor the victory—without distinction. Call me a glutton for glory. Who knows. Furthermore, having taught at St. Ignatius College Prep for the past 12 years, I delight in the success of my own students' accomplishments in sports. Looking at photos from the NCS and CCS boys and girls basketball championships, I am reminded of what athletes can learn and gain from sharing a common season. 

Congratulations to Carondelet for winning the D-2 NCS title!

Coaching junior varsity girls golf for the first time was not only more worthwhile than I anticipated, it was more fun too. But, it would have been even more fun had our season included one thing—the boys' team. Last spring, I drove the varsity boys to the CCS championship and played with them during their practice round. They pulled all kinds of pranks that only boys do. They hit for sheer power off the tee in the way their egos need them to. They trash talk and yet they help one another in subtle ways. It was different than what I encountered with the girls' team. My girls await psyche buddy gifts on game day. They get stronger and even more flexible than you might think. Their putting is totally up and down (that works for everyone). The uniqueness of each team could easily add to a great mix.

I love the team photo because it reveals something about this Spartan family. Again, if you didn't know what the head coach, AJ Kuhle looks like, I don't think you would from this either...

Unfortunately, local golf courses cannot manage boys' and girls' programs during a singular season. Consequently, girls play in the fall and boys in the spring. The same can be said for tennis and for volleyball. Indeed, some things are lost in this separation, but I know other things are gained, too. Regardless, I appreciate what develops between athletes, teams and programs when they share space, time and common goals. In many cases, it's similar to a sibling rivalry. One competes for attention and glory. Resentment and jealousy can breed. But I would like to think at their best, like brothers and sisters, a rich bond can develop. I do not believe however this is the norm. 

I offer a challenge and some humble advice to those coaches who work with a single sex team that is "in season" with another: enhance that relationship as best you can. Here are but a few suggestions of what you can do.

St. Ignatius girls' win the CCS title at Santa Clara University

Make a point of attending the other team's game at some point during the season. It will generate a different type of conversation between the athletes. They will raise questions, they will appreciate what they do, they will pick up on nuance and fine tune their own. Good stuff. A loftier goal might be to attend a preseason, regular and postseason game if/as possible!

Play with and against one another. Competition between the sexes can be ridiculously fun. There are ways to handicap the contest so as to equalize the playing field; this need not be viewed as a negative thing. Be creative! Invite your athletes' input. 

I think "play" in practice is under-utilized and under-appreciated by my fellow coaches. I will never forget the cross country runner who wrote on coaching evaluations that "practice is boring. All we do it run." While we wondered if this student athlete had totally missed the memo about our sport, I understood what he/she was talking about. Make time for recreation within your sport.

Coach the other team's practice. Why not? Run your workout as you would with your own team. Share your unique skills and drills. A different point of view can add a lot.

Attend a collegiate or professional game together. Take both teams to see how it's done on the next level. It's possible that this contest will favor the men's sport over women's, but the shared experience can help all student athletes see with new eyes.

Pray for one another. I cannot stress this enough. I think teachers should pray for their students everyday. I believe that coaches ought to pray for their athletes everyday. Teams are no different. Pray for each other regularly, and invite prayers for the boys or girls team. It's a shared endeavor—competing in a sport. Ultimately, athletes are working toward a common goal. Pray in a way that invites God's blessing on both communities.

Serve together. Our teams love to be known for who they are and what they do. This point of pride is a wonderful thing but best when coupled with humility. Sometimes it's harder to be served than to serve. I've never participated in a corporal work of mercy when the ones I thought I would be serving didn't end of serving me and teaching me more than I could have anticipated.

The day after our big rivalry game, the Bruce Mahoney, the SI girls team came to school still upset by their performance. The boys' team didn't. They held their heads high and reveled in the praise that echoed throughout the halls. At CCS, the tables turned. Our girls beheld the winner's trophy and the boys were deflated by a loss in a very close game. That contest didn't end with handshakes on the court. No, they looked up to find their fans offering a standing ovation; many who were leading that cheer were the same varsity girls who played a few hours before.

Our athletic programs have the inherent ability to cultivate so much of what a family can: shared joy and agony, winning and losing, friendship and faithfulness. I think the choice is...the coach's.

Photo Credits
All from Twitter @Carondelet_HS, @dlsathletics and @SIScores

A New Vision: Much More than a De La Salle Play Off Game

Returning to the De La Salle high school gym on for their NCS D-1 semifinal game against Castro Valley High School earlier this week, I realize what I see now is far different than what I did as a student some 20+ years ago. Sure, some of what isn't—a man to man defense and the value of a player who continually crashes the board hasn't changed, but today, my vision captures moments.They are the subject of this blog, Today, when I go to a big game I collect insights that add up to much more than a mark in the win column or a ticket to the next round. They are Sports and Spirituality....and here are three of them.

1. A new coach, a new era
De La Salle is led by a new coach, AJ Kuhle (pronounced "Cool"). Coach Kuhle played on the 2000 championship team under the former head coach, Frank Allocco. Kuhle left his position as a long time assistnat coach at University of Denver to return to his alma mater. I get the sense that his players are glad he did.

Without a doubt, Kuhle has big shoes to fill. His predecessor is considered by many to be one of the best high school coaches, period. With over 600 wins to his name, Coach Allocco is now across the bay at the University of San Francisco as an assistant to head coach Rex Walters. USF fans are hopeful he will help the Dons' return glory back to the Hilltop. 

A a personal friend of Coach Allocco, I missed seeing him on the Spartans' court. Friends delight in seeing their friends succeed and that's how I felt when I went to DLS games during his time there. An expert of fundamentals, his teams were tremendously well coached—truly a basketball purists' delight. And to no one's surprise, Coach Kuhle's team isn't much different. Granted these guys played under Allocco, many for three straight years, but what struck me isn't what I saw on the court by the players, but what I didn't see from the coaching staff.

Looking at the Spartan bench, I saw Coach Kuhle and his assistants sitting for the majority of the game. He seldom stood up; if you didn't pay careful attention, it's conceivable that you could have left the game and not known who was who. Whereas many coaches pace the floor, stomp their foot, talk to the ref, or get in the ear of their players, as written on Twitter: "Coach Kuhle lives up to his name." I have joked that one coach in the WCAL probably gets his 10,000 steps recommended by FitBit in a single game, but not the head coach of the Spartans. Every coach has his or her own style; it's interesting for me to see how they do what they do.

I believe Coach Kuhle's sends a powerful message to his players: it's one of trust and respect. It's one that says—without words—a lot. During a game, the players must take ownership for what they have been coached to do. A team practices set plays and it's their job to execute. A good coach will make adjustments and intervene with players and officials when necessary, but ultimately, it's up to them. Timeouts and half time serve that purpose for coaches and players in a different way. It was neat to see. 

I don't know if an unintended consequence of Kuhle's stoic nature gave rise to this, but from my perspective I felt that the team—collectively— became a noticeable source of support and raw energy. When a time out was called, everyone stood from the bench, clapping and cheering. At one point, I wondered, "is the game over?" I say that because the team lined up to greet each player as they came off the floor with high fives and hugs. It's as important a game as it gets, so I would hope that any team would do that, but I do wonder: to what degree does standing back give rise to something new/different?

I have since learned that the legendary Coach John Wooden often coached from his chair. We know the consequences—intended and unintended—of that. 10 national championships.

2. The role of Mary, Our Mother
A colleague who teaches a senior elective course, "The Ignatian Way," informed me that her class studied the life of the Blessed Mother this week. She was sad to discover that so many students were largely unfamiliar with who Mary is and why you would want to develop a relationship with her. But, one student came to the rescue, as they often do.

This student said "think of it this way, people listen to their mother. If you need something from Jesus, talk to his mother. It works." I love that a high school student articulated what I have found to be true in life. And I saw that very truth in action during the game.

My parents and I happened to be sitting one row behind the mother of one of the starting players. In the middle of the fourth quarter, with the score closer than DLS had hoped, a foul was called on this athlete. He stood alongside the key while the opposing player took his free throws. With his back standing to us, his mother yelled "Jordan, tuck in your shirt." The game is on the line, it's fairly intense and amidst the focus on the court, what does Jordan do? He tucks in his shirt. But since it was not to his mother's liking, she yells it again. Without even looking at her, Jordan's teammate runs behind him to tuck in his shirt for him. 

It was hard not to laugh and smile in that moment. Doesn't matter what the stakes of something may or many not be, we know our mother's voice and we listen to it.

Brian who oversees @DLS151 took this photo
& interviewed Coach Kuhle

3. #TraditionNeverGraduates 
After the game, I brought my parents over to the other side of the gym to meet up with my brother's close high school friend, Brian. In the middle of talking to Brian, he tells me that two others we know from high school—the Barry Brothers were also at the game. 

The sons of Warrior legend and NBA Hall of Fame player, Rick Barry, Brent played for 14 years in the NBA and Scooter played on the 1988 Kansas national championship team. I learned from Brian that they met with the team after the game and had a chance to talk to them. I would have loved to have heard stories that they told about their days on the same court and what memories they carry. Those are for the 2016 Spartans to have and hold. Someday, they will share their own. 

De La Salle holds the motto, "Enter to learn, leave to serve." I appreciate the way that Scooter and Brent have done this through basketball and the relationships they maintain in the DLS community. I know what their simple act of showing up and meeting with the team means because I hear about it from my own students and athletes. I have heard what they think, what they hear and what they learn from those who have walked their path before.

I will conclude this posting with something I read by a friend of friend. He posts a message of gratitude daily, and thie latest one resonates with my vision of returning to a familiar place...a space that holds great memories and powerful stories that are born from sports. Indeed, they are the seedbed for what I find spiritual.

I need to get my eyes checked. I read with 2.0 reading lenses. When I looked down at my dinner last night it looked kinda blurry...tasted kinda blurry as well...wasn't one of my better efforts at the grill. I can still see things far away...but get too close and you take on fuzzy edges. I think I'm kinda grateful for this. I prefer to have a sharper view of things further away...distant...both in space and time. I'm grateful for the ways that distant vision keeps the immediate in proper focus. This has helped me with kids...my own and students I've taught. All it takes is a momentary glimpse of what someone might be in time or what a situation might be in time to re-inspire me to endure, to work, to believe that the twitch or the blurry edge is just now...and not forever.

Photo Credits
DLS book
AJ Kuhle: Developing Men of Faith
Coach Kuhle