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Harold Cronk
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
SCOTTVILLE — When audiences watch the nationally-released movie “Average Joe” they will see hints of Mason County, thanks to Emmy Award winning director Harold Cronk of Scottville. While the majority of the movie was filmed in Louisiana, a few segments were shot in Scottville. The film also features Mason County and Michigan “Easter eggs.”
“Average Joe” premiered earlier this week in Hollywood and is playing in over 2,000 theaters nationwide. It is scheduled to start playing in Ludington beginning Thursday, Oct. 10.
It is the story of Joe Kennedy, a 20-year Marine Corps veteran, who was an assistant football coach at Bremerton High School in Washington state. Inspired by the movie “Facing the Giants,” Coach Kennedy began praying in the center of the field after each football game. Over time, he was joined by many of his players, along with players and coaches from opposing teams. Kennedy continued the practice for seven years, but the school board only learned of the practice after an opposing team commented positively that the district was allowing it to happen.
School board members became concerned that they would be seen as complicit in violating a perceived separation of church and state by allowing Kennedy’s prayers to continue, as well as the implicit coercion that players may feel to join in on the prayer, even though players only prayed on their own accord.
The board negotiated with Kennedy to reduce the public display of the prayer, offering to provide him with a private location for his prayer or suggesting that he held his prayer after the spectators had left, among other accommodations. Through the athletic director, Kennedy was warned that any such display should be clearly student-led. In spite of the directives, he continued to pray after the game with additional coverage by the press and local politicians. After continuing the prayer ritual for two more games, the district superintendent put Kennedy on paid leave for violating the school’s policies and endangering students. The school’s athletic director recommended that Kennedy not be rehired. Kennedy’s contract for the year ended, and Kennedy did not re-apply the next year.
Kennedy then filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington to regain his job, claiming the school’s policy violated the “free exercise clause” of the First Amendment. The board stated it was trying to avoid any conflicts with the “establishment clause” by preventing public displays of faith at a public school. The court ruled in favor of the school district and its decision was upheld at the Court of Appeals in the Ninth Circuit. In 2019, the Supreme Court denied Kennedy’s first petition.
After conducting further fact-finding, the district court granted summary judgement in favor of the school district in March 2020. In March 2021, the Ninth Circuit again ruled in favor of the school in appeal. It denied rehearing in July 2021 but was split in its denial. Kennedy then filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, a court process to seek judicial review of a decision of a lower court or government agency. The petition was granted by the Supreme Court on Jan. 14, 2022 with oral arguments beginning in April of that year. Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that the school district violated Kennedy’s First Amendment rights under both the free speech and free exercise clauses of the First Amendment.
The film is based on the book “Average Joe” written by Kennedy and Stephanie Katz.
Cronk, the director of the blockbuster “God’s Not Dead”, said the premise of the film is more than just a person’s right to pray.
“This is a story about our most fundamental American rights which are protected under the First Amendment,” Cronk said. “Joe Kennedy’s rights to pray on the football field after a football game are not about the rights of a Christian but about the rights of an American. These are fundamental rights that people of all faiths enjoy in this country. Even those without any faith enjoy the rights. That’s what this story is about.”
Cronk said he wanted Kennedy’s story to be portrayed unfiltered.
“The story of Joe Kennedy is a story of a man who has faced many obstacles in his life,” Cronk said. “His childhood was one of neglect and abandonment. During his teen years he was introduced to the love promised through faith in Jesus Christ. He then served his country in the Marines for 20 years, serving several tours in the Middle East in the war on terror. Ultimately, he overcame many obstacles and found joy in coaching football.”
Cronk said “Average Joe” is a film is appealing to a wide audience.
“I would not categorize this film exclusively as a ‘faith film’,” Cronk said. “This is a story about an American hero who fought for his country on the battle field and in the Supreme Court. He fought to continue to protect our freedom of speech and freedom of religion.”
Mason County audiences will notice some local personalities and references in the film.
“I always try to bring my hometown into my films in some form,” Cronk said. “There are several ‘Easter eggs’ in the film that reflect this. For instance, there’s a scene showing Joe in the Marines. We use 49454 as his unit number.”
A quick sequence of shots was filmed in some locations in Scottville and Victory Township. That sequence includes short appearances from locals Rick Plummer, Paige Rasbach, Cooper Sorvig and Cronk’s brother-in-law Jim Jackoviak.
“One of the sequences was filmed in the locker room of the A.O. Carlson Gym at Mason County Central High School,” Cronk said. “Movie goers will also notice a MCC Spartans football uniform.
There is a scene where the coach holds up two helmets, one from the Wolverines and one from the Spartans.
“I love our community and it’s so fun to bring pieces of our incredible area in these films that are seen around the country.”
Cronk said he also said he always wants to send a message in his films.
“The reason I agreed to direct this film is the powerful message that it sends,” Cronk said. “This guy is just an average guy. He could have just allowed that board of education to violate his rights and moved on with his life. But, instead, he and his wife chose to fight. It wasn’t easy and it came at great financial and emotional costs. In the end, though, these ordinary Americans, people just like most of us, stood up for what was right and they won.
Harold Cronk is a 1993 graduate of Mason County Central High School and a graduate of Central Michigan University. He and his wife, Amy, live in Amber Township along with their two children. Cronk also co-wrote, produced and directed the locally-made film “Deer Camp ’86” which is available for sale on DVD at Walmart, and DVD and Blu Ray on Amazon. It is also for rent or sale digitally on Amazon and several other popular video streaming services.
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