We bled black and gold, not red.

--Donnee Gray, Gwynn Park '70 | 4x NCAA Final Four Official

SYNOPSIS

A son returns to his alma mater Gwynn Park to carry his father’s coaching legacy and discovers that a forgotten dynasty continues through the lives it changed.

FEATURED VOICES

Tubby Smith

Randolph Childress

Dr. Ida E. Jones

Hall of Fame coach Tubby Smith reflects on how basketball helped a rural Black community navigate integration and find its voice.

Dr. Ida E. Jones

Randolph Childress

Dr. Ida E. Jones

Historian Dr. Jones turns a small school’s story into a lens on race, power, and whose victories history chooses to remember.

Randolph Childress

Randolph Childress

Randolph Childress

Randolph Childress shares how one coach’s belief helped shape his path to national recognition and the NBA.

Neil Greenberger

Neil Greenberger

Randolph Childress

Washington Post Sports Editor Neil Greenberger connects the unexpected rise of Gwynn Park to the top spot after it had long been ignored.

Lou Wilson

Neil Greenberger

Lou Wilson

Rival coach Lou Wilson’s vivid memories of scrappy, small-town courts reveal how identity and pride are forged far from the spotlight.

Howard Matthews

Howard Matthews

Howard Matthews

For more than three decades, Howard Matthews shaped generations of young athletes and built the community foundation that fueled Gwynn Park’s rise.

Steve Matthews

Howard Matthews

Howard Matthews

Howard Matthews’ youngest son, Steve took up his father’s mission and led Gwynn Park to unprecedented heights, keeping a fading dynasty alive for the generation that followed.

Larry Gandee

Championship Coaches

Championship Coaches

Coached Gwynn Park for 12 years, reaching eight state title games and winning six. His success set the foundation for Gwynn Park. 

Championship Coaches

Championship Coaches

Championship Coaches

  • Tim Carney (1968)
  • Larry Gandee (1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1980)
  • Owen Johnson Sr. (1983) 
  • George Leftwich (1987, 1988)

 Beyond Banners explores the burden and beauty of inheritance through the lens of a small-town basketball program. For decades, Gwynn Park High School served as a fortress of opportunity, built by a father and defended by his son. As the film traces the rise, fall, and resurrection of this forgotten dynasty, it asks a fundamental question: What remains when the cheering stops? At its core, this is a film about how greatness is earned, how legacy is transferred, and how a community shapes the next generation. 

The Beyond Banners™ team brings experience from Amazon and Netflix. 


Andre Jackson – Brings storytelling experience from Amazon.


Sue O’Hora – Credits include When Wire Was King.


Everett Ray – Known for bold, emotional visual cinematography.


Jeremy Zunk – Sound Mixer with work featured on HBO and PBS.


Barrinton Baynes – Digital Curator specializing in archival preservation.

EXPLORE BEYOND BANNERS (Gallery)

Fundraiser Teaser (Pre-Production)

DIRECTOR'S VISION: A PERSONAL CONNECTION

I LIVED THIS STORY…

I was coached by Steve Matthews. I saw the wins and the quiet pride that came with being a Yellow Jacket. I watched teammates earn scholarships and make deep tournament runs, but few outside our community noticed.


I graduated from Gwynn Park in 1998. Years later, I realized our basketball legacy had been overlooked. No one else was going to tell the story, so I had to.


This is more than a film. I’m walking in my life purpose.


It’s my way of honoring history and leaving something to inspire future generations.

© 2025 Beyond Banners LLC. All rights reserved. Beyond Banners™ is a trademark of Beyond Banners LLC. Written and directed by Andre N. Jackson. Script registered with Writers Guild of America East. Materials may not be used or reproduced without permission.

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