Behind The Scoreboard: “The Grizzlies” Is About People, Not Bears

Garden City NY

20 October, 2020

11:13 AM

Description

My philosophy is "Everything I ever needed to know about business I learned on the sports field." From Behind The Scoreboard, I feature the sports stories that tell us much more than simply who won or lost. These personal and inspiring experiences of grade school, high school, college, other amateur and even pro athletes allow all of us to reflect a little more on what is important in life. ~ James C. Metzger, Chairman and CEO, The Whitmore Agency _______ Lacrosse Offers Hope, Sense Of Family In Film If I mentioned The Grizzlies, you might think I was sharing a story about the migration of bears in Yellowstone National Park. Instead, this recent film is about a community in a Canadian Arctic territory. The sport of lacrosse, my favorite game*, is introduced to the teenagers to help them cope with some very serious issues. Based on a true story, the film takes us back to 1998. The Native students at Kugluktuk High School spend more time with alcohol and drugs than with classwork. The suicide rate is high as these young people face abuse at home, hunger and other societal problems. A recent college graduate becomes a new history teacher at the school. He played lacrosse in college, and he believes the game would give the kids a focus in life. The troubled teens soon discover that their lacrosse team is a new kind of family. To learn more about this story, please check out my blog. Even better, please see “The Grizzlies.” _______ *James C. Metzger played lacrosse at Half Hollows East High School in Dix Hills and was an All-American lacrosse player at Hofstra University. He supports youth and high school lacrosse programs throughout the New York City metropolitan area. He also is a benefactor for Hofstra Athletics and specifically for the men's and women's lacrosse programs. Photo courtesy of Northwood Entertainment Inc.