‘I Was a Hurricane’ Documentary Series to Premiere in Amherst on Aug. 8

AMHERST — I Was a Hurricane, a three-part documentary miniseries from filmmaker Lexi Jamieson Marsh and On Your Feet Entertainment will celebrate its world premiere with a free outdoor screening on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. on the Amherst Town Common. Click here to reserve a ticket.

Supported by the Amherst Business Improvement District and the town of Amherst, the event will bring together former teammates, families, filmmakers, and community members for a historic evening celebrating a story more than two decades in the making. The reunion will also serve as the filming location for the series’ epilogue, capturing the return of the Hurricanes and the lasting impact of a season that shaped their lives.

In the event of inclement weather, the world premiere will be relocated to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Two indoor screening blocks will be offered on Aug. 8 at 5 and 8 p.m. to accommodate attendees.

In 2003, a group of Amherst Regional High School teenagers searching for connection found purpose and belonging through their school’s ultimate frisbee team. Guided by the sport’s tradition of self-officiating and the principles of ‘spirit of the game,’ the Amherst Hurricanes pursued a national championship while learning lessons about trust, integrity, friendship, and what it means to be part of something larger than themselves.

Told through more than 200 hours of archival footage and present-day interviews, I Was a Hurricane revisits the team’s unforgettable journey to the 2003 national championship and explores how the relationships formed on the field continued to shape the players’ lives decades later.

“This documentary is about so much more than sports,” director and producer Lexi Jamieson Marsh said. “It’s about the moments we don’t realize will one day live on as memories, and the people and communities that shape who we become.”

The series also examines broader questions facing young people today: the importance of belonging, the role of mentorship, healthy masculinity, and how youth sports can become spaces where character is built alongside competition.

The original footage was captured by filmmakers and Amherst community members Bob Pollakand Nate McGarigal, who documented more than 200 hours of the team’s story on Hi8 tapes. Years later, cinematographer and former Amherst Hurricane Draper White digitized the footage, helping preserve a remarkable time capsule of adolescence, friendship, and a defining moment in ultimate frisbee history.

Following the premiere weekend, an encore screening and panel discussion will take place on Sunday, Aug. 9 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, offering audiences the opportunity to engage with the filmmakers and participants behind the series.

I Was a Hurricane was produced by On Your Feet Entertainment, a female-owned production company dedicated to telling stories centered on connection, community, and the human experience.