Recently a former HSE and current White River rugby player named Brandon Gardner suffered a severe spinal cord injury.  He is going to need a lot of care on his road to recovery which will not come cheap.  The production company that made Forever Strong has been kind enough to offer their film as a fundraiser.  Brandon's former employer, the Goodrich Hamilton 16 IMAX theater (at the Hamilton Town Center off of 69 and exit 10) has agreed to show the movie on one of their screens.

With the help of the makers of Forever Strong and the Goodrich Hamilton 16 a fundraiser will be held on JUNE 6TH at 10:15 AM (at the Goodrich Hamilton 16)to raise money to help Brandon and his family.  Tickets will be sold for ten dollars a person (cash only) with all proceeds going to help a good rugger, a good teammate, and a good friend.  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email noblesvilerugby@hotmail.com.

 

 

 

 

Based on actual events, Forever Strong is the story of a volunteer American rugby coach who creates not only championship teams, but championship boys. Forever Strong offers sports action, drama and the results of following a strong ethical code to achieve victory on and off the field.

 

Rick Penning (Sean Faris, Never Back Down)thought he had it all. He was in peak physical condition and the star of his rugby team fighting for the upcoming national title. But his spoiled attitude and a lifestyle laced with drugs and alcohol makes him reckless. Following a second DUI and an almost fatal car accident, Rick finds himself sentenced to a year behind bars in an out-of-state detention center, having disappointed his strict coach and father (Neal McDonough, Desperate Housewives).

 


As the days crawl by, he is approached by prison ward Marcus Tate (Sean Astin, Lord of the Rings) with an opportunity to shorten his stay and return home in time for the anticipated rugby play-offs. Marcus offers Rick the opportunity to play for his rival team, Highland Rugby. Reluctantly Rick joins the team, where he must adopt the grueling training schedule and       and unique code of conduct enforced by Coach Gelwix (Gary Cole, Pineapple Express), or finish out the season behind bars.

Coach Gelwix is a firm believer that service, honesty, hard work and dedication are the recipe for ultimate victory. He makes it very clear to Rick that lying or cheating will give a player a one-way ticket to the bench for the season. But through his loving, father-like influence, Coach Gelwix proves to Rick that he can be trusted as a fiercely loyal friend.

Egos clash on and off the field as Rick resists support and friendship from the other players and the coach, but it doesn’t take long for him to abandon his hard feelings and embrace his new team. The unlikely brotherhood with his fellow Highland teammates will eventually force him to choose where his loyalties lie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A positive evaluation from Marcus sends Rick back to Arizona just before the championship game. Once at home he is pressured by his father and his best friend Lars (Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl) to reveal "Highland’s secrets." He refuses, and his angry teammates set him up. After drugs are planted in his car, Rick is tossed back into jail. Rick, now a changed man, pleads with his father to believe that he has changed his ways. It’s not until someone steps forward to clear his name that Rick’s jealous, anger-filled father comes to terms with his son’s desire to play for the team that changed his life and allows him to return to play for Highland and for the coveted national title.

 

 

 

 

FOREVER STRONG:

STARRING

Sean Faris (Never Back Down) as Rick Penning

Gary Cole (Office Space, Talladega Nights) as Coach Larry Gelwix

Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl) as Lars

Arielle Kebbel (Aquamarine, John Tucker Must Die) as Emily

Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings Trilogy) as Marcus

Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives) as Coach Penning