Feedback November 2002 (Vol 43 No 4)

REVIEWSchroeder, Sheila E. (2002). See What I Got: A Story of Girls,Basketball, Confidence and Courage (documentary videotape). Denver,CO: Shake it Up Productions, www.du.edu/~sschroed.See What I Got is a refreshing departure from the prepackaged “reality television” seriesthat so often serve to represent young America, particularly young female America, toviewing audiences. This 59-minute documentary video tells the story of several teenagegirls and their participation in GirlSports International (GSI), a non-profit organizationdedicated to the emotional, social and physical development of girls throughmulticultural sports experiences. This particular group of girls, all from Colorado, areaccepted onto a basketball team whose culminating experience is a trip to Europe tocompete against teams from France and Spain.Perhaps the subtitle of this video, A Story of Girls, Basketball, Confidence and Courage,best illustrates the themes explored as these girls go through their individual andcollective journeys. Anyone who has ever been, or been around, an adolescent girl orwho has kept up with recent news and research articles bemoaning the state ofgirlhood, will recognize the struggles in the thirteen girls presented here.Some wrestle with severely broken families or with self-imposed perfectionisttendencies, others with weight issues or underdeveloped social skills, and still otherswith aggressive tendencies or poor self-esteem.Unfortunately, these are not unique struggles, either for boys or girls. However,through their participation with GSI, these girls are challenged to develop confidence,courage, communication skills, self-evaluation abilities, to appreciate diversity, torespect the importance of team efforts and of stepping outside of one’s own comfortzone. The video documents their efforts not only on the basketball court, but alsoincludes interviews with supportive family members and adult friends. It is, however,the group discussions, (usually taking place with girls and their coaches sitting on hotelroom floors, walking on European beaches, eating a meal or discussing successes andfailures in a locker room), that reveal the most private and stunning articulations of thegirlhood experience for these young athletes.Their discussions, confrontations and ultimate cooperation and mutual supportultimately exhibit a thoughtful examination and a maturity that is both encouragingand profound. See What I Got is of benefit not only to women’s studies, youthprograms and documentary production courses, but also for any viewer who has aninterest in positive sports mentality, successful teambuilding and/or adolescent behaviorand change.Reviewed by Melinda Levin, The University of North Texasmelinda@unt.edu68Feedback November 2002 (Vol. 43, No. 4)