It was a long time coming, but The Long Green Line finally premiered at the U.S. Olympic Trials Thursday evening in front of a crowd of over 200 people. In 2005, the young men apart of the legendary York High School cross country team were followed throughout the season, as the cameras captured the highs and lows of the season and the high emotions that a cross country team goes through from August until early December. Losing two of their top stars in the back half of the season, having to play with top seven line-ups numerous times and living up to the fatherly embrace coach Joe Newton shows all his athletes made this film one that every high school athlete should watch during their summer training. Overall this film receives a 4.5/5 stars.
A Film Review of The Long Green Line
For over fifty years the York High School cross country and track program has been known as one of the best, if not the best in the nation. Legendary coach Joe Newton took over the team coming out of college and built his storied program through a prescription of hard work, family values and the power of a unified group working towards one goal. Few articles or books have captured Newton's true magic in the past as well as The Long Green Line.
On Thursday evening at the Running Film Festival, part of the Olympic Trials week, The Long Green Line premiered to a crowd of over 200 onlookers. While the film had received rave reviews from film festivals and a screening in the Chicago area earlier in the year, everyone in attendance seemed to come to see what the York secret to success is.
Well, those in attendance found much more. It isn't about grooming only the top athletes, or traveling to all the top meets across the land, rather it's about holding expectations over all the young men on the team, stating from day one that everyone is equal and living up to that motto. Joe Newton and his assistant coaches showed that time and again in this film, as the directors showed the story of the 2005 team and their march to state, but also the stories of two disabled athletes who not only participated and found success, but were inspirations to their teammates and coaches alike.
The stories of John Fisher and Connor Chadwick show what the York team has been about since day one, that of Newton giving everyone equal respect and attention, offering each athlete hope that they can achieve beyond their wildest dreams as long as they work hard. It's easy to dislike York.
They're the Yankees of high school cross country. They win all the time and do it with class, which can be perceived as arrogance if you don't understand what the York program is all about. However, The Long Green Line presents Joe Newton and his program in the light it should have always been shown in, capturing Newton's humor, humility and seriousness all in one 90 minute film.
From start to finish the 2005 York squad has to deal with adversity. With less than seven weeks until state two of their top five runners are arrested, kicked off the team and expelled from school for arson, something that shook up the cross country world when it happened. While it's covered briefly in the film, one can see the toll it takes on the remaining top seven for the rest of the season.
Minus two athletes, their top two athletes become sick with a virus that depletes their energy levels significantly, while a half dozen others fight it out for the other remaining spots in the top seven. All of this is captured in the film, showing a team having to overcome adversity, rise back to the same level they were at and take the next step towards Newton's 25th state title.
While the documentary doesn't have a video release date just yet, this is a film every high school coach should show their team. The hard work, strength in numbers and the family atmosphere York displays is simply outstanding. A dynasty isn't built overnight, and for York it took fifty years to get to this point, so lessons can be learned and trust me, they're worth it.
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