Olivia Kuan’s The Herricanes is a brilliant documentary on the first Houston full tackle women’s football league.
8/10
There’s nothing that’s more loved in the state of Texas than American football. You see some of the stadiums that these high schools and would think that they are playing in the NFL. I mean American football is huge, it’s almost a religion that Texans follow to their coffin. I have committed one of the deadliest acts in this state and choose not to root for any of the Texas teams in the NFL (though I hope the Houston Texans always have a great season because I live in H Town). I’m a New York Giants fan which means I’ve been depressed since our last Super Bowl win in 2012. Yet, I have my team I root for but I don’t really follow the sport religiously like everyone else in this state does. Nonetheless, this documentary caught my eye because it may be about football but this is about the first Houston tackle football women’s team known as the Houston Herricanes. I didn’t know anything about this team but after watching this documentary I found a new love for the resiliency of these ladies. It’s hard to not admire the awe-inspiring spirit of these women on and off the football field.
Before the Houston Energy, the Houston Herricanes were the first tackle football league in the city of Houston, Texas. The documentary does a great job of detailing the beginning of the team’s journey. The film’s director Olivia Kuan uses a lot of archival footage to her advantage by displaying past games and pictures of the team. She is also the daughter of one of the past players of the team. Now, the film isn’t a straight up recounting of the history of this legendary team. The documentary intertwines the fight for Title IX as a way of showcasing just how big of a deal an all tackle football team/league was.
Olivia Kuan’s documentary works well and it helped a lot that I was surrounded by passionate Houston Herricanes’ fans. The film has a way of blending the past with the present that feels so seamless. You never really feel a hindrance on the runtime that makes the pace feel too slow or too fast. Some aspects of the film can feel a bit redundant, but what always brings you back is the team of the Houston Herricanes. Each person who was involved in the team shines brightly with their own charm. Throughout the film, their tenacity and dedication not just to the team but each other is shown through their words. I loved the reunion scene, you could tell that each and every one of them was so happy to see each other. You may not know it at the time, but at that reunion it solidifies that these ladies were part of something larger than themselves.
Even though the Houston Herricanes didn’t last long enough their legacy is felt in the world of sports. Olivia Kuan’s film is a highlight of sports documentaries and aims the spotlight at this very important part of not just the world of sports but the fight for gender equality. Make sure to watch The Herricanes when it eventually makes its way out to a cinema or screen near you.
The Nerd Corps 