Tennessee Fans Get a Glimpse into Rick Barnes' Coaching Philosophy
Tennessee basketball fans will get a rare look into the personal life of head coach Rick Barnes with a new documentary premiering on July 30. The 35-minute film, titled "It's Not About Me," is the first-ever sit-down interview with Barnes and his family.
Isaac Fowler, a senior producer for VFL Films and part-time lecturer at Tennessee's school of media and journalism, led a team of 11 students in producing the documentary. Fowler had to stray from Barnes' impressive coaching resume, which includes 861 wins, seven conference titles, and 30 NCAA Tournament appearances.
The documentary explores Barnes' personal life, including his journey from his hometown in Hickory, North Carolina, through decades of coaching. Beyond his extensive success on the court, there is a story of self-transformation that Fowler and his team set out to tell through exclusive interviews with Barnes, his family, and former players and colleagues.
Fowler told Knox News that he and his team had to work hard to get the story right. "It seemed daunting at first, but it became pretty easy as we started talking to more and more of his close family and friends," Fowler said. "His story just started to develop."
The documentary also sheds light on Barnes' struggles with balancing his commitment to winning on the court and his personal life. He was often intense and isolated, pushing people away and overvaluing his success. However, after a wake-up call, Barnes realized the importance of having people around him to support him.
Allie Campbell, a journalism major who helped produce the documentary, said that Barnes came across as goofy and committed to his faith. "He really felt like he had to do it himself and he was pushing people away, isolating himself and really overvaluing this success," Campbell said.
The documentary is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Tennessee's communications arm, Vols athletics, and students in the school of media and journalism. It serves as professional training for students who produced the documentary and a valuable piece of creative content for the men's basketball program.
"It's just such a great opportunity for them to make something that's real," Fowler said. "I tell them at the beginning of the semester and really preach this to them every week: the reason this work is worth doing is because it means something to somebody."
The documentary premieres on July 30 at 7:30 p.m. on the Tennessee Athletics YouTube channel.
Source: Yahoo Sports