'Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built' Now on PBS

Over his 38-year career coaching women's college basketball, Robin Selvig saw the sport evolve from being nearly nonexistent, to becoming an opening act for the men's game, to playing for sellout crowds. Now available on PBS, Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built is a chronicle of that evolution.

In 1978, when Selvig took over as head women's basketball coach at the University of Montana, it didn't exactly make waves outside Missoula. But with the help of new Title IX rules, which came into effect a few years before he started the job, Selvig led the Lady Griz from near obscurity to Division I status.

Starting Nov. 1, Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built, the Emmy-winning film about Selvig's tenure at the school -- and the generations of athletes he coached -- is airing on PBS stations nationwide. It will also be streaming on PBS.org, the PBS YouTube channel, and the PBS Documentaries channel on Prime Video (click here to learn how, where and when to watch).

"I was fortunate," says Selvig, "to get into women's basketball at the time, because I got to experience the growth and the opportunities for young women, and it was an exciting thing to be a part of."

Following Native Ball to PBS

The one-hour film comes from Family Theater Productions (FTP), in association with Windrider Productions, Five-Star Basketball and RTG Features. FTP and Windrider also produced Native Ball: Legacy of a Trailblazer, which started airing on PBS last November.

That 30-minute film told the story of Malia Kipp, recruited by Selvig from Montana's Blackfeet Reservation.

Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built tells the full story of Selvig's coaching career, and of all the players -- whether from small towns, ranches, or reservations -- that took the University of Montana to becoming the third toughest place to play women's college basketball in the U.S.

Megan Harrington, one of Selvig's former players, is co-writer (with Catherine Fowler Sample and Matthew Donlan), co-director (with Jonathan Cipiti), and producer.

Giving the Women's Game a Chance to Shine

For Selvig, getting fans and media excited was just a matter of letting people see his athletes in action.

"A lot of people just didn't understand how good they are," he says, "and I think some did it grudgingly, but if you gave it a chance, you'd get hooked.

"It's what happened here in the early '80s. People came out, 'OK, let's go watch. It looks like they're pretty good.' And then they all came back, and they got fired up, and we had great crowds and great following.

"It's first, give them the opportunity, and then, when they prove themselves -- which many, many women have, and women in sports in general -- it's very good entertainment."

In 2013, three years before Selvig's retirement, Annette Whitaker Rocheleau, who's featured in the film, hung up her whistle. She'd been with Selvig -- either as a player or assistant coach -- for all but 13 of the 798 wins Selvig had racked up to that date (he had 865 when he walked away in 2016).

"I cry every time I watch [the movie]," says Rocheleau. "It's not just about basketball. It's about young ladies from all walks of life, and all different kinds of them. That's what's so great about it; it's real heartfelt in a whole bunch of different areas."

Then Came Caitlin Clark

The film shows that women's college basketball has long had ardent fans and media coverage among alumni, friends, family, and local communities. But breaking out into the mainstream consciousness sometimes takes a spark.

Caitlin Clark was that spark.

In the last couple of years, the game has seen a huge surge in popularity, even among casual viewers (including men). That's due in part to former University of Iowa Hawkeyes standout Clark, who now plays for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, where she earned Rookie of the Year honors.

"It's been really fun to watch it," says Rocheleau. "It was way overdue, that's for sure. I'm happy Caitlin brought it. Just that group of girls, that class of girls, was so phenomenal. It was fun to watch the tournament this year."

Says Selvig, "All of a sudden, the lid just came off in terms of attracting people to watch women's basketball, that won't fall back. A lot of getting women's basketball going, women's sports, was getting people to come and see it and give it a chance.

"A lot of people, I don't think ever gave it a chance until what Caitlin did. And once they saw, not just Caitlin, but how talented the young women are, and what great basketball skills they have, they'll come back."

Hoops Stars Loved Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built

Several basketball luminaries have had a chance to see the film, and its uplifting tale of the pioneering coaches and athletes who paved the way for later stars touched their hearts.

One of them is Sheryl Swoopes, a three-time WNBA MVP, and a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Of the film, Swoopes said,

"Today's players should definitely watch it, so they understand the struggles that women had and the battles they fought, so that we could have better conditions and more opportunities today. One of the best basketball documentaries I have seen."

She's only one of several athletes who've praised the film. Nancy Lieberman, a trailblazer herself, a retired pro player and coach, and a former Olympian. She's also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Lieberman said:

"One of the unsung coaches in the history of women's basketball is ... Rob Selvig."

And it's not just female athletes. Former NBA All Star (and also a Naismith member), John Stockton said:

"I highly recommend this documentary to everybody and their families boy or girl….I think it’s a great story to share with your families. I hope you truly enjoy it."

This Isn't Your Grandmother's (or Mother's or Aunt's) College Basketball

Times have definitely changed from the hardscrabble early days of women's college basketball.

Recalls Rocheleau, "I think I bought my own shoes the first year I came here. ... Now the gyms are open, everything's taken care of. The girls are just as spoiled as the boys."

After decades of struggling, the women's game is now coming into its own -- and that brings a new set of challenges.

All college sports have felt the impact of NIL (Name-Image-Likeness), a combination of NCAA rule changes and state laws, which allows college athletes to potentially parlay their fame into big sponsorship money.

There's also the NCAA transfer portal, an online database which allows players to transfer between NCAA schools. Players who move seek what they see as greater opportunity, often at the loss of their scholarships.

"I probably wouldn't like it," says Selvig. "It's not my vision of what coaching is about, but I would've had to adapt and go forward."

In the End, It's the Relationships That Matter

While not every athlete will make big bucks in college or hop schools, all who play have the experience of being on a team, something Playing Like a Girl: The House That Rob Built illustrates. Toward the end of the film, it shows a huge group of former players, of different generations, coming back to honor Selvig after his retirement.

Says Rocheleau, "I would never give it up in a million years to have the camaraderie and the friendships. And our girls, we have so many. Every class that graduates, I think they all still get together. They know where each other's at for 30 years.

"To get an education was always our main thing. You come here, and you're going to get an education, we promise you that. And you're going to have fun. And we're going to work hard and we're going to be successful. We delivered that."

Selvig feels much the same, saying, "One of the really good things about being involved in sports or basketball, is that being a part of a team is a very fulfilling thing.

"And you win and you lose with them, and you go through all kinds of experiences, especially with college kids at the age those young ladies are, there's lots of things going on in their lives. In effect, they become a big part of your family and the coach is a part of it. And that was fulfilling for me."