'This is our film.' A long-awaited peek at documentary on late Hiland coach Perry Reese

After hundreds of hours of interviews and editing, professional videographer/filmmaker Zosimo 'Jay' Maximo and editor/producer Dan Mizicko presented the trailer for their documentary about former Hiland basketball coach Perry Reese, Jr.

Friends, family, former players and co-workers of Reese were among those on hand to enjoy the 11-minute preview at a recent open house hosted by Art and Jo Yoder, Shelly and Alan Miller and Peg and Rick Brand at the Yoders' home in Berlin Township.

Perry Reese Jr., a Canton native, was a beloved coach, teacher and friend to many in the East Holmes community and beyond. Reese died suddenly in 2000. And as a Black man who came to a white Amish and Mennonite community in 1983, he left a lasting impact as an assistant under Indian Valley South, Strasburg and Hiland coach Charlie Huggins. His story was featured in Sports Illustrated.

"This is really not my film. This is our film," Maximo said. "Dan, my producing partner, is one of the hardest-working people you'll ever meet. We're just the glue. You guys are telling the story. We're just putting the pieces together. Thank you for trusting me with this story"

More: Perry Reese Jr. coverageSports Illustrated featured Hiland coach's story

About Perry ReeseRemembering his legacy

Maximo said the event was 20 years in the making. The Cambridge native was a recent film school graduate in Los Angeles when he read the award-winning article by Gary Smith in Sports Illustrated in March 2001 about his friend, Coach Reese. He recalled how much he enjoyed Reese, a new coach at Guernsey Catholic in Cambridge, where Maximo served as a ball boy and his brother Frank played in the early 1980s for Reese before he coached at Hiland.

"I loved this guy. He was like a brother to me," Maximo said of Reese. "I want to tell his story. I wanted to do this documentary. We're nowhere near done, but we wanted to show you about 11 minutes of where we're heading."

Maximo got permission from the Reese family to begin working on this project more than 20 years ago, but less than a month later, he was hired at MTV. The project got shelved for many years while he built a career and began a family. He relocated to suburban Cleveland to raise his children, and decided to revisit the project during the pandemic.

"I felt I needed to use my voice in a bigger way, and this story was a great way to unite people," he said.

Maximo and Mizicko have interviewed more than 30 people, including members of Reese's immediate family, such as his sister, Aubrey, and brother, Chris; West Virginia University coach Bob Huggins and his brother, Larry; as well as people from the Hiland community like former players and coaches Dave Schlabach, Jason Mishler and Mark Schlabach, and many more. Fellow coaches from throughout the state, friends and associates were also interviewed.

A powerful event keeping Perry Reese Jr.'s memory alive

Shelly Miller said she is grateful to Reese's sister, Audrey Hardey, and his niece, Stacey Rae Betha, for attending Saturday's preview.

"When they're here, you can feel Perry's presence through them," Miller said. "I want to thank Jay for having the vision for this. We all have pieces and parts to Perry's life and it's just amazing how we were all brought together by one person. Perry taught me the most about being a friend. He was very intentional and very heartfelt."

Hardey enjoys sharing stories about her brother and keeping his memory alive.

"It's nice to know that after 22 years, this community still loves him and what he's done for the community," she said.

"I find it really touching to reminisce with people who found Perry so near and dear to their hearts," Betha added.

We're still here remembering Perry Reese Jr.

Former media personality and Reese friend Mark Lonsinger shared his sentiment about being at the event.

"It's been over 20 years since Perry Reese won a basketball game, since he shook a hand, since he comforted some kid who needed it, or made somebody feel like they were the best friend he ever had," Lonsinger said. "It's been more than 20 years since he had a loner in euchre.

"Yet here we are," he continued. "What great testament to a life well-lived. We're still talking about him, laughing, sharing all those memories made all those years ago. "

Lonsinger reflected on Reese's death at the age of 48 and all the things he never got to do.

"The perspective of time allows you look back and understand what Perry didn't get to do over these past 20 years could never have matched what he did do for 48 years," Lonsinger said. "It helps us understand, whether we like it or not, that there's a plan, and there's a reason things happen.

"We all came her for the same reason: We wanted to see Perry again," he continued. "And I see him everywhere, and I'm grateful for that."

Maximo joked that he's also here for the chicken and noodles and fry pies.

Reese's roommate from Muskingum College, Eric Pohjala, made the trip from Lima to share stories and relive some memories.

"Everyone wanted to be with Perry," Pohjala said. "He recruited half the freshman class of the Phi Tau fraternity, and I was one of those guys. There were always constant people coming in and out of our room; everyone wanted to talk to Perry. He taught me a lot about life. He was always good for having the last word."

Former Hiland Principal Greg Curry shared one of his favorite Reese stories: The day Reese provided a new Nike equipment bag to an exchange student who used to carry his gym clothes in a brown paper bag.

"He was so much more than a basketball coach," Curry said. "He had great relationships with all the kids, even those who did not play basketball."

The next step for the Perry Reese Jr. documentary

Maximo's vision for the independent project is to take it to film festivals in 2023, starting with the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), March 22 through April 1.

CIFF is an Academy Award-qualifying festival in all three categories of short films: live action, animated and documentary, according to Associate Director Patrick Shepherd. CIFF accepts films of any length, any genre and from every country.

"CIFF is committed to offering screening fees or travel assistance for all feature and short films accepted into the Festival," Shepherd said.

The hope is success in the film festival circuit can help the project get to a wider audience.

"Ultimately, we would love to see the movie get picked up by a streamer like Hulu or Netflix, or a premium channel like HBO or Showtime," Maximo said.

— Reach Kevin Lynch at 234-249-5294 or klynch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Documentary on life and impact of Perry Reese Jr. previewed