Hobie's Heroes: The 25th Anniversary Edition

During Hobie Billingsley's tenure as Indiana University's diving coach (1959-1989), he acquired a reputation for spotting talent, and produced six Olympic medalists. In the summers, Billingsley and his staff would host diving clinics for kids aged 12 to 17, including director Steven Montgomery, who returned to Indiana in 1980 to make this short documentary on Billingsley's work with kids. With few digressions on the boys' and girls' personal or family lives, Hobie's Heroes combines diving footage with an interview of Billingsley (who uses a form of tough love to challenge the kids—repeatedly calling one "runt"—with the goal of helping them overcome fear and self-doubt). Interestingly, the documentary makes the point that the best coaches are often those who weren't the most gifted athletes, but in overcoming obstacles learned something about how to motivate athletes. DVD extras include an update on the kids featured, in which they validate how important Billingsley's emphasis on training and discipline have been to their lives and careers. Even with the contemporary material, however, it's questionable how many viewers will be drawn to a 25-year-old documentary short. Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)