The premiere episode of “The Object of The Game” (available on Prime Video) is a sports documentary that doubles as a love letter to Cleveland, Ohio, a showcase in masterful coaching, and a profile of a man who treated a 100-yard field like a sanctuary for growth and learning. At its heart is Chuck “Chico” Kyle, the legendary St. Ignatius head coach, who “just wanted to be an English teacher,” and navigated the shifting tides of high school athletics with a whistle and father-like guidance.
Exploring Cleveland’s athletic legacy
Directed by St. Ignatius alum, Matt Waldeck, “The Object of The Game” is equal parts a Cleveland history lesson as well as a St. Ignatius one. Waldeck deftly navigated between the most painful parts of Cleveland’s past and the euphoria of his school’s victories. Interwoven with Kyle’s own personal history, the episode was surprisingly sweet for something about bodies slamming violently into each other.
Chicho’s revolution of the game
Kyle is an educator, first and foremost; he was an English teacher, alongside being the coach the kids looked up to. “To me, that football field is a classroom,” one of Kyle’s more poignant takes. That mentality made a lasting impact on a lot of his players, including Barry Alvis, who had a really great moment in the episode.
Kyle’s impact wasn’t just on his players, but on the field itself. While Ohio football at the time (1980s) was dominated by the Woody Hayes “three yards and a cloud of dust” style, Kyle and his coaching staff embraced a different type of game by throwing the ball more. This kind of innovation led St. Ignatius to being a powerhouse and an inspiration for Clevelanders.
Blending together the heart and the technicals
Waldeck and his team put together an incredible line-up of legends. Roger Goodell, Bill Belichick, Tony Romo, Mike Tomlin, among others, being a part of this story gave the docu-series weight. The episode weaves together the insights of these titans alongside former players who Kyle nurtured from boys into giants.
Towards the end of the episode, there was a heartwarming moment where Kyle was talking about his first championship win and being unable to afford the ring, because he had kids to buy Christmas presents for. His two former players, Alvis and Joe Pickens, then walked in and presented him with his ring. It was a tear-inducing moment, really cementing how important Coach is to these men.
Final thoughts
A worthwhile start to the three-part docu-series. You can sense that this was made with a lot of love and adoration for the subject at hand. Waldeck and his team did a tremendous job bridging the gap between the past, the present, and questions of the future.
Bear witness to some of Kyle’s best moments in his coaching career and seeing him receive accolades and rewards with such humility. The first episode of “The Object of The Game” promises a weighty story on the purpose of football not being about fame and fortune, but about building men of good character.
Writer and editor