Sole Reconciliation is taking the focus off the SDSU basketball and shifting attention to the service the players did. Northern Voyage Productions traveled to Haiti with the SDSU men’s basketball team and Samaritan’s Feet in May 2013 and filmed their journey.

The film was made by Northern Voyage Productions, a Brookings-based company, co-owned by brothers Paul and Jay Fishback.

The film, called Sole Reconciliation, is a project that the Fishback brothers put together when they heard about the trip. According to Paul, they contacted men’s basketball head coach, Scott Nagy, and discussed the possibility of making a film about the trip to Haiti and Nagy thought it was a good idea so the brothers ran with it from there. 

The basketball team traveled with Samaritan’s Feet and participated in the event. Nagy also supports Samaritan’s Feet during the basketball season when he coaches without shoes.

Going to Haiti helped the basketball team realize there are things bigger than just basketball. Losing three games in a row is hard but going to Haiti showed the players what tough truly is, Nagy said. 

Cory Jacobsen, fourth year junior guard, traveled to Haiti with his teammates. He said that the trip to Haiti was a humbling experience.

“You appreciate the little things like where you live, the air you breathe, the food, because a lot of kids and a lot of adults and people taking care of orphanages and schools, they don’t know where their next meal is coming from so it just makes you appreciate a lot more,” Jacobsen said. 

According to the Fishback brothers, the story shows a new side of the coaching staff, in particular, Nagy.

“You get to know Coach Nagy a little bit more, he’s not just the foot-stomping basketball coach. He’s a very nice, personal guy so you really get to know him, see a different side of him that you’ve never seen before,” Jay said.

Nagy has an adopted daughter, Naika, from Haiti. In the film, it shows Nagy speaking with Naika’s biological mother, Arlan. According to Jacobsen, the film “nailed it” when capturing the basketball team and the struggles between Nagy and Arlan. The film also shows the impact the event had on both the team and the recipients of shoes and food. 

“It’s really just about people going and helping other people,” Jay said. “It’s not about a basketball team. It’s not about anything else other than just a call to help people.”  

On Sept. 25 Sole Reconciliation was shown in the Performing Arts Center. According to Paul, extra chairs were brought in because of the amount of interest and they are excited about the turnout. 

“You don’t have to go on an international trip or a mission trip to help people,” Jacobsen said. “There are people struggling in your community…you don’t have to go to Haiti to help someone out, you can do it right here in South Dakota.”

Sole Reconciliation will be shown on Midco Sports Net around basketball season and South Dakota Public Broadcasting in October, Paul said. It is also available for viewing online at northernvoyageproductions.com.