By Kathy Gallant

Volleyball movie featuring local actress playing in M.L. this week

Apr 23, 2018 | 8:00 AM

It isn’t often someone from Meadow Lake appears in a feature film with the likes of Helen Hunt and William Hurt, but Rebecca Merasty, who grew up and played volleyball in the city, combined her love of the sport and acting and landed a role as the team libero in The Miracle Season.

The film depicts the true story of an Iowa City championship volleyball team whose captain, Caroline ‘Line’ Found, died in a moped accident in 2011. It chronicles the grieving journey of her teammates, coaches, and family, and the inspiration they drew from Caroline and each other.

Merasty said she was honoured to be part of the project, and auditioned when her older sister Angel told her about a casting call. While she doesn’t have a speaking role, Merasty said she had a great deal of exposure throughout the film as a key team member.

“The feedback has been amazing across North America where it has been inspiring young girls to go for it and persevere through their trials,” she said. “This [movie] spreads such a positive message of love, faith, and hope.”

When Merasty heard the movie was going to be screened at Meadow Lake’s Dynasty Twin Cinemas from April 20 to 26, she said it actually made her a bit nervous. Even still, she said family, friends and community members from the city and Flying Dust First Nation have shown her a great deal of support.

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“I’m extremely excited, but it’s pretty crazy to think that I’ll be on the same screen at the movie theatre I’d go to as a teenager and watch all these big movies,” Merasty said. “I can’t express enough how thankful and blessed I feel to have felt so much love and encouragement.”

Rebecca’s mother, Linda Dee Merasty, said this was a perfect role for her youngest daughter. Linda Dee said Rebecca started to focus on volleyball in Grade 9 after being encouraged by a teacher to try out for Team Saskatchewan. Rebecca played for club teams and Indigenous teams, made the provincial team in Grade 11 and won gold at the Canada Games.

“I really appreciate the teachers and coaches who saw the potential in a young girl,” Linda Dee said. “We would have never imagined that Rebecca would be in a movie, playing the sport that she loves the most. It was her dedication her discipline that took her to where she is now. I’ll never forget Rebecca saying ‘you’re my biggest fan, Mom, and I couldn’t have done it without you.’”

Claire Hanna, a sports reporter and former Team Canada professional volleyball player, did casting and choreography on the film. Hanna worked with the actors to ensure their volleyball plays looked realistic on-screen, and said Merasty stood out at the tryout audition.

“I remember her right away because she was a really good libero,” said Hanna. “Rebecca actually had one of the hardest roles in the whole movie. We really counted on her in all of those volleyball scenes to deliver a really good pass. She had a lot of pressure on her to actually deliver in terms of being a skilled athlete.”

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath