National Park College (NPC) held a premiere screening of its men’s basketball national championship documentary, “STAY DOWN: A Championship Story,” in the Eisele Auditorium in NPC’s Frederick M. Dierks Center for Nursing and Health Sciences Monday.
In front of a packed auditorium, Darla Thurber, Vice President for Student Affairs, welcomed viewers and highlighted NPC’s journey to Danville, Illinois. NPC Athletic Director Rich Thompson also delivered remarks about the team’s grit through adversity and how winning the national championship has impacted the men’s basketball program.
Next, Mark Oliver, NPC Sports Information Director, shared stories of how the film was conceived and its importance as a historical artifact in Nighthawk Athletics lore. Following the premiere, NPC men’s basketball head coach Dion Hargrove delivered his vision for the program with a goal of repeating last year’s success.
“STAY DOWN: A Championship Story” is a 47-minute film that takes viewers on a gritty and emotional journey from Hot Springs to Danville, Illinois with exclusive player interviews and never-before-seen footage inside team practices, the locker room and the many celebrations that followed in a behind-the-scenes look at NPC’s historic run to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division 2 National Championship.