SEGMENT PITCH: After her breakthrough year, the Olympic Channel follows nineteen-year-old wheelchair tennis phenom LOTTE VOGELS as she revisits her high school tennis team.
INT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA—MORNING
LOTTE VOGELS faces the camera. The cafeteria is empty. It’s early. The first bell hasn’t yet rung. Her sporty manual wheelchair is purple and gold, the school colors. She holds a Paralympic gold medal in her lap.
LOTTE VOGELS
Yeah, I’m a little nervous. I haven’t been back here since graduation. Since before then, actually. I didn’t go to the ceremony itself. The French, you know?
CUT TO:
EXT. STADE ROLAND GARROS, PARIS—DAY
B-roll of the stadium from above. The clay courts are pristine, the start of the tournament.
CUT TO:
INT. COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER—DAY
Rapid-fire montage of highlights from LOTTE’s wheelchair singles victory. She speeds across the court, tire tracks left in the red clay with every quick pivot and screeching halt. She attacks each ball with a loud thwack off her racket. We see ball after ball hit the opponent’s lines, white chalk kicking up into the air, their own racket swinging at empty air, the point already won.
LOTTE VOGELS (V.O.)
It’s only been a year, but so much has happened. It definitely feels weird to be back. But I mean, doesn’t everyone feel weird about going back to high school?
Slo-mo shot of LOTTE holding the French Open trophy aloft, crowd cheering in the stands.
CUT TO:
INT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA—MORNING
LOTTE stares down at the medal in her lap.
LOTTE VOGELS
Do I think the team’s excited to see me? (pause) I think this is going to be a memorable homecoming, that’s for sure.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS COURTS—MORNING
A chilly early morning mid-March in suburban Atlanta. Lingering fog high in the sky, only half burned away. Perfect conditions for a pre-class workout. COACH SALINAS stands near the bleachers, watching a handful of student athletes warm up.
COACH SALINAS
Lotte was always the first one out here. Always. She even beat me most of the time. The whole school would still be locked up, but she’d be here. Said, “Coach, I don’t need a roof to get some practice in.” It could be raining buckets and she’d be out here, swinging that racket, soaked to the bone. Least till I told her she was gonna get me sued for negligence if she came down with pneumonia. After that she only came early on fair-weather days, bless her.
COACH SALINAS blows her whistle. The students stop their motions and turn their attention to her.
COACH SALINAS
All right, folks, gather up. Y’all know today is a very special day, right? We’ve got these lovely film crew people here to see how we do things at Wildwood.
STUDENT #1
Aren’t they here for Lotte?
COACH SALINAS
They’re here because I invited ’em. Now get to class and I’ll see y’all for practice after school. Mikey and Rachel, I’ll see you in just a few minutes. Do not make me wait on you for attendance again. (to camera) I teach Algebra. Mostly freshmen like those two rascals.
The students begin packing up their things and heading toward the school proper. One student hangs back, waiting to talk to COACH SALINAS.
COACH SALINAS
What is it, Jason?
JASON JOHNSON looks carefully at the camera, then back at COACH.
JASON JOHNSON
Have you seen Courtland today, ma’am?
COACH SALINAS
Not yet, why? (to camera) Dani Courtland, our team manager. She’s a senior now. Been working with me and the team her whole high school career. Whip-smart, that one. (to Jason) She not answering her phone? Want me to check the office?
JASON waves his hands rapidly.
JASON JOHNSON
No, no! No worries. I was just curious is all. Have a good day, Coach!
CUT TO:
INT. COACHING OFFICE—MORNING
LOTTE enters an empty, relatively small office, about a third the size of a typical classroom. Five office desks are crammed in, two, two, and one. The rightmost desk doesn’t have an associated chair. Overstuffed bookshelves line the room. LOTTE heads toward the nearest one.
LOTTE VOGELS
Coach’s not-so-little free library. She’s got just about every sports memoir and biography ever written.
She pulls a book from the shelf, a biography of Billie Jean King.
LOTTE VOGELS
All students are allowed to borrow from these shelves, whether they’re on the tennis team or not. Although everyone on the team is required to read one per semester. Coach always says, It’s one thing to know athletic technique, it’s another—
COACH SALINAS
It’s another to know athletic heart.
LOTTE startles and nearly drops the book.
LOTTE VOGELS
Coach! I thought you were in class! Don’t you teach first period?
COACH SALINAS
I gave them free study time for today. Coach Jenny’s with them if they have any questions.
LOTTE VOGELS
Coach Jenny? The Coach Jenny who thought a quadratic was a new leg workout?
Both laugh, trailing off to fond smiles.
COACH SALINAS
It’s good to see you, Lotte. We’ve all missed you.
LOTTE VOGELS
Really? All of you?
LOTTE looks toward the desk with the missing chair. COACH SALINAS turns abruptly toward the cameraperson.
COACH SALINAS
So. Where would you fine folks like to start?
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. VARIOUS HOME FOOTAGE OF LOTTE VOGELS DURING HIGH SCHOOL
Most of the footage comes from taped practices on the Wildwood courts, videos used for training purposes. LOTTE practicing her serve; LOTTE returning balls; LOTTE during practice matches with other team members.
Sometimes, COACH SALINAS or other coaches talk to LOTTE, demonstrating some technique or correcting her form.
LOTTE VOGELS (V.O.)
High school was such a weird time for me, athletically. I was training constantly, but I rarely got to actually play in competition.
INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
Why not?
LOTTE VOGELS (V.O.)
There’s not really a junior wheelchair tennis circuit, especially not through the school system.
At other times, we see LOTTE at rest. When not actively practicing, she’s always surrounded by teammates. The center of attention. The other players (all ambulatory) are smiling and laughing with her.
In a few clips, LOTTE is the one coaching the younger team members. She offers tips about timing or their footing. When one athlete falls and starts crying, LOTTE slides out of her chair onto the hard court next to the girl, assessing the damage while other students call for help.
LOTTE VOGELS (V.O.)
When I was allowed to play in team competitions it was mostly against abled players. The rules for both disciplines are the same, except in wheelchair tennis you get two bounces to return the ball. So as long as my opponent didn’t mind, I could play anybody. And that worked for a while. Until I started winning.
Local news coverage of LOTTE’s win against a rival high school. The chyron reads: Disabled sophomore stuns in inspiring fashion at tennis tournament. LOTTE’s opponent glares in the background as LOTTE accepts her trophy.
LOTTE VOGELS (V.O.)
Suddenly the opposing coaches felt playing against abled athletes “wasn’t fair” to me. So. That was that.
Often, in the background or on the sidelines, is another girl. She uses a power wheelchair and always holds a clipboard in her lap and a stopwatch in her hand. There’s a whistle around her neck, identical to the ones the coaches use. She seems separate from the rest of the team. A part, but apart.
The final clip in the montage shows the end of a practice session. LOTTE, sweating, heads toward the other girl. LOTTE says something. The other girl laughs warmly before exiting the frame.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL GYM—AFTERNOON
TY TRASK
Oh man, Lotte was a superstar. Everyone knew she was gonna make it big. You could just tell, you know?
Two students stand off to the side during Gym class being interviewed by the film crew. Both boys wear Wildwood Tennis letter jackets. The gym is filled with the sound of sneakers squeaking on linoleum and basketballs bouncing off the backboard.
ANDY PARK
For sure. She just has this vibe. Like, this confidence or something. When she’s playing, but even when she’s not, too.
TY TRASK
Watching her play is just … She’s so good, you know? I remember seeing her my freshman year, and just being in absolute awe. And she just got better every year! That’s crazy. Plus she’s smoking hot.
ANDY elbows TY in the side.
ANDY PARK
Dude, not cool.
TY TRASK
What? She is!
ANDY PARK
Yeah, but you can’t just say that.
TY TRASK
All I mean is it isn’t any surprise that she’s already getting sponsorships and stuff. You can’t be that talented and that … classically beautiful—
ANDY PARK
Thank you.
TY TRASK
—and not get a ton of endorsements. Like, come on. She’s a legend, is my point. Ask anyone.
ANDY PARK
Well, maybe not anyone. Remember when that freshman pulled up Lotte’s Super Bowl commercial on YouTube right in front of Courtland? Of all things to show your buddies with her there.
TY elbows ANDY this time before glancing purposefully at the camera and shaking his head slightly.
CUT TO:
CLIPS FROM TOYOTA’S 2024 SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL
LOTTE VOGELS blazes across the court, hitting winners left and right. The camera focuses closely on her wheelchair. Tight shots of her hands pumping the wheels. Close-ups of the ball smacking the court in front of her footrests. Dynamic zooms in on the back of her sleek chair. What little is visible of her body is in silhouette.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
We keep moving. No matter how difficult. We move forward. We fight.
LOTTE sits on the side of the court. She breathes hard, sweating profusely. She takes a big swig from a water bottle.
NARRATOR (CONT’D) (V.O.)
Lotte Vogels has never once let any obstacle stop her.
In the parking lot now. An adaptive Toyota SUV waits for LOTTE. She presses the key fob and a ramp unfolds from the side door. She drives into position behind the wheel, settling her hands confidently at two and ten o’clock.
NARRATOR (CONT’D) (V.O.)
The future is ours. We need only reach out and take it. No excuses. We keep moving. Together.
FADE TO:
INT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA—DAY
LOTTE VOGELS
I couldn’t believe it when I got my first brand deal. I mean, I hadn’t even graduated yet! I’d won some bigger tournaments and I’d already qualified for the Paralympic team, but all of a sudden Toyota gets in touch and wants me? For a Super Bowl campaign? That’s wild. It honestly doesn’t make sense.
She’s wearing the Paralympic gold medal around her neck now. The shine reflects the film crew’s key light, sending a bright beam back toward the camera.
LOTTE VOGELS
It all happened so fast. By the time they contacted me two weeks before filming, they had already lined up the other athletes who were gonna be starring, so the schedule was set. But I didn’t know exactly who else would be there until I showed up on set and there was freaking Megan Rapinoe standing in front of the buffet table holding a little Dixie cup of juice. I genuinely almost passed out.
INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
Why you? If they had a bunch of megastars already?
LOTTE VOGELS
(laughs) Right? The whole idea was a series of short spots, each building on the last throughout the broadcast. A passing of the baton. The legends would have the earlier slots and at the end of each commercial, the focus of that one would “hand off” to the next athlete. It was about celebrating the future of sports, I guess. The progression of talent into the younger generations or whatever. I was the last one to go. The representative of the next gen.
INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
Prescient. You won every match you played for the next year.
LOTTE picks up the medal and looks into its face. The light bounces up directly into her eyes, but she doesn’t look away.
LOTTE VOGELS
Yeah. I won everything.
FADE TO:
EXT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS COURTS—AFTERNOON
COACH SALINAS taps the microphone she’s holding and clears her throat.
COACH SALINAS
All right, folks. Quiet down, please. Come on, that’s right.
There are many more students here than early this morning. The ones standing on the court are dressed for practice: tanks, shorts, sweatbands on wrists or forehead, sturdy sneakers. Those in the stands are a mixture of athletes from other departments (some wearing basketball jerseys, some with lacrosse bats leaning next to them), teachers, and other students. The bleachers are nearly full.
COACH SALINAS
Thank you all for coming. As you know, today is a very special day. Our own Lotte Vogels is back after winning, oh, I don’t know, just about every tennis championship on the planet! It’s been a whirlwind of a year and I know we’re all so proud of her. So let’s give a proper Wildcat welcome to our queen of the courts, Lotte Vogels!
The crowd claps, a chorus of whoops ringing out.
LOTTE comes out from behind the bleachers where she’s been waiting. She waves, smiling sheepishly, almost as if she’s embarrassed, and heads over to COACH SALINAS. The older woman hands her the mic.
Just as LOTTE is about to speak, feedback rings out over the court. Everyone winces and covers their ears until it subsides. They turn toward the sound. At the top of the bleachers, DANI COURTLAND holds a megaphone. Beside her are JASON and a handful of other students carrying a large rolled-up banner. They unfurl it as COURTLAND reads the written message into the megaphone.
DANI COURTLAND
Welcome home, traitor.
CUT TO:
INT. HALL OUTSIDE COACHING OFFICE—AFTERNOON
Chaos.
COACH SALINAS, COACH JENNY, and two assistant coaches are trying to calm the many students crammed into the small space. JASON and the other banner holders huddle around COURTLAND, shouting at the group opposite them. ANDY PARK, TY TRASK, and five other students stand behind LOTTE, yelling back.
At the center of the shouting, COURTLAND and LOTTE sit facing each other on either side of the door, both silent, the former glaring, the latter with her arms crossed.
COACH SALINAS stands between them in the open doorway. She blows sharply on her whistle. Silence follows.
COACH SALINAS
If your name isn’t Dani Courtland or Lotte Vogels, please vacate this building immediately.
The students follow the order without much hesitation. Only JASON lingers, glancing at COURTLAND quickly. She gives a slight nod. He leaves.
COACH SALINAS looks at the coaches still standing in the hall.
COACH JENNY
Oh, you meant us, too? Right, okay, sure. Yeah. We’ll go let everybody know to reconvene in a bit.
COACH SALINAS
Good plan.
COACH SALINAS turns toward the cameras. Or rather, toward the people holding the cameras. She stares pointedly.
COACH SALINAS
Was I not clear enough? Out.
DANI COURTLAND
I think they should stay. They’re here to learn all about you, right, Lotte? So they should learn all about you.
COACH SALINAS
Dani, that’s enough.
LOTTE sits forward in her chair and meets COURTLAND’s hard gaze. LOTTE no longer looks chagrined; she looks mad.
LOTTE VOGELS
No, Coach. She’s right. I’ve got nothing to hide. I did nothing wrong. Let them stay. (to camera) You wanna know what this petty high school drama is about?
DANI COURTLAND
Petty?!
LOTTE VOGELS
Then let’s get into it, shall we?
COACH SALINAS sighs but heads into the office. Both girls follow.
CUT TO:
I/E. INTERVIEW CLIP MONTAGE
ANDY PARK
Those two were best friends. Like, best friends.
CUT TO:
TY TRASK
I always thought they’d end up dating, but no one else agreed with me. I guess they probably are too similar to make a relationship work.
CUT TO:
JASON JOHNSON
Courtland’s okay with us talking to you? She said she’s fine with it?
CUT TO:
COACH JENNY
Her freshman year, Courtland joined the team as manager. She knew she’d need sports on her résumé to get into the colleges she wanted, and she medically isn’t allowed to do any sort of athletics. So she figured managing was a good substitute. I don’t think she and Lotte knew each other before then, but after she joined, they were inseparable. At least until that last year.
CUT TO:
ANDY PARK
It was the Super Bowl commercial. Remember we told you about that? That’s what caused the whole mess.
CUT TO:
TY TRASK
You can’t deny there’s chemistry there, though. I mean even when they’re fighting it’s just sparks everywhere! You saw it in there just now, right? The way they couldn’t stop staring at each other? Major Pride and Prejudice vibes. (pause) This isn’t actually helpful, is it?
CUT TO:
JASON JOHNSON
Look, Courtland’s my best friend and Lotte was her best friend. I’m extremely protective. Lotte and Courtland worked for months trying to organize a high school wheelchair tennis competition for the state. It was gonna be the first ever. Courtland barely slept through that whole semester, I swear.
CUT TO:
COACH JENNY
When Lotte landed the Toyota gig, I honestly expected Courtland to rope us into throwing her a massive surprise party. That kind of deal is unheard-of for a teenager who’s only won a handful of bigger trophies. But especially for an adaptive sport? Courtland’s whole goal in life is taking wheelchair tennis mainstream. I figured she’d be even more excited than Lotte.
CUT TO:
ANDY PARK
I’ve never seen anyone as angry as Courtland when Lotte’s commercial aired. She had been really upset that Lotte missed their wheelchair tournament, of course, but I figured it would blow over. I guess seeing the actual ad itself made Courtland snap. You know how sometimes Djokovic or Zverev just absolutely smash their rackets to pieces? Courtland can’t exactly do that, but I was a little worried she might barrel straight through the school walls. Her chair’s basically a tank. I mean, have you seen that thing? It could do some serious damage.
CUT TO:
TY TRASK
Everyone remembers that day Courtland blew up. She kept yelling at Lotte, like, How fucking could you?! How could you betray us like that, you backstabbing bastard? etc., etc. Coach stepping in is the only reason she didn’t get suspended, honestly. But I mostly remember Lotte. I saw her coming out of the gym later that day and she looked … just … empty.
CUT TO:
JASON JOHNSON
Did the tournament happen? Well, yeah. But Lotte was the face of the whole thing. Courtland’s not an athlete, so she’s fully behind-the-scenes. They were banking on Lotte being able to draw a crowd, get some of the money in ticket sales. Without her, well, the tournament lost money. Like, a lot of money. It’ll be hard for Courtland to convince the state’s athletic association to do it again, let alone formalize it into an annual event like she wanted. And like Lotte wanted, too! I still don’t understand how she could just abandon something she worked so hard for. Even for something that big.
CUT TO:
COACH JENNY
I would never get involved in any student’s interpersonal issues, so I can’t comment on who was right or whatnot. But I will say that when Lotte popped up during the fourth quarter, sandwiched right between a Budweiser and an M&M’s commercial, I’ll admit I cried. I’ve never felt more proud in my life. Although maybe don’t tell my kids that. (laughs)
CUT TO:
INT. COACHING OFFICE—AFTERNOON
Now that all the other students and coaches have left, the room is quiet. But the air still feels charged.
COACH SALINAS
How about we try talking this out, girls, huh? Y’all used to do nothing but talk!
LOTTE VOGELS
I know you’re still mad, Dani. I do. But is all this really necessary?
DANI COURTLAND
Of course it’s fucking necessary. What, did you think I’d have forgiven you?
COACH SALINAS looks to the camera and waves her hand, as if to say Let them curse, it’s fine.
LOTTE VOGELS
I’m not gonna have this fight with you again. That money paid for my whole year on the circuit! I wouldn’t have been able to get to the Australian, let alone every major and the Paralympics without it.
DANI COURTLAND
Yeah, but they were using you! And you were so caught up in the attention and the money and getting to meet Sarita Solís and Pilar Abiodun that you didn’t notice. Or actually, you did notice and you just didn’t care.
LOTTE VOGELS
That’s what commercials and sponsorships are. They’re companies using athletes to make money. That’s the whole point!
DANI COURTLAND
You’re right. Let me rephrase that. They weren’t using you because they don’t care about you. They were using your disability, and they knew exactly how to get the most bang for their dirty buck.
LOTTE VOGELS
Fine, I’ll admit it wasn’t the most tasteful commercial—
COURTLAND scoffs.
DANI COURTLAND
What a diplomatic way of putting it.
LOTTE VOGELS
But a lot of fucking good came from it, Dani. People got to see a wheelchair tennis player in action! They might have never even heard of the sport before, and now it shows up in the middle of the Super Bowl. Think of all the little kids out there who saw me and said, Hey, maybe I can play tennis, too!
DANI COURTLAND
(softly) And think of all the little kids who said, I can’t even play wheelchair tennis, maybe I really am worthless.
LOTTE’s eyes widen. COURTLAND blinks hard, seemingly surprised at her own words.
COACH SALINAS
Courtland. You know that’s not—
LOTTE VOGELS
Don’t put that on me, Dani. Don’t you dare.
Gathering her composure again, COURTLAND squares her shoulders.
DANI COURTLAND
I’m not. It’s just how it is. They hold you up as the standard, the good cripple, and the rest of us who can’t measure up get told No excuses, try harder, don’t let your disability stop you. It’s not like we’d never talked about it. You knew. You know exactly how this shit plays out every single time. And you went along. For what? The exposure? The money? I didn’t realize your principles were so cheap.
LOTTE takes a sharp breath. Sudden tears form and roll fatly down her cheeks. She doesn’t reach up to wipe them off, her hands balled into fists on her thighs. Her voice is quiet and fierce when she speaks.
LOTTE VOGELS
Fuck you, Dani.
COACH SALINAS quickly walks around her desk, standing between the two of them.
COACH SALINAS
All right, girls. I think we’re at a standstill. The day’s almost over. Y’all think we can at least just get through Lotte’s goodbye speech peacefully? For the rest of the team if not for yourselves.
The girls stare at each other. LOTTE seems as tensed as she is before a serve. A few long seconds pass. COURTLAND looks away first, the fight draining visibly out of her.
DANI COURTLAND
Sure thing, Coach.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS COURTS—AFTER SCHOOL
The stands are even fuller now. Word of COURTLAND’s demonstration has spread during the unplanned intermission. The atmosphere is tense, no longer celebratory.
Down on the court, front and center among the tennis team members, is COURTLAND. Beside her, JASON leans over to say something, but she doesn’t seem to be listening.
COACH SALINAS
Sorry about that, y’all. Let’s try this again, shall we? Come on out, dear.
LOTTE returns to the mic. She smiles brightly, too brightly. The audience applauds, much more reserved this time. LOTTE clears her throat and looks to the little stack of index cards she’s holding.
After a beat, she puts the cards away.
LOTTE VOGELS
I hope y’all don’t mind if we go off-script here. I had this whole speech written out. Lots of great-to-be-backs and couldn’t-have-done-it-without-yous. The usual. And all of that is true, but it’s not really what I want to talk about.
Tennis has not always been good to me. Honestly, it’s been hostile more than it’s been welcoming. I’ve had to fight not only for every point on the court but also for every chance to step out onto a court at all. It sucks, okay? It’s not fun. It’s not an exciting challenge to overcome or some triumph-over-adversity story line. It’s bullshit. Just plain, simple bullshit. And it’s even more bullshit that I have to always, always just sit and smile. I have to be oh-so-grateful for whatever scraps I manage to steal for myself.
The crowd grows uneasy. Lots of shifting in seats and murmuring to neighbors. A close-up shot on COURTLAND shows her watching LOTTE intently, hands clasped tightly in her lap.
LOTTE VOGELS
I’ve barely even started my career and I’m already exhausted. I keep thinking, if I just get big enough, if I can get enough people to care about me as an athlete, maybe I can get them to care about wheelchair tennis as a sport. And if I can do that … (looks directly at COURTLAND) maybe I can get them to care about disabled people in general.
It’s not a good plan. It’s a terrible one. A superconceited one, too, and guaranteed to fail. But it’s all I’ve got. The only thing I can control is how I perform—both on and off the court. I can’t control how people see me, how they interpret my actions, what they project onto me.
LOTTE looks directly at the camera. Or rather, at the camerapeople.
LOTTE VOGELS
Even now, I have no idea how much of this speech will make it into the final cut. How they’ll chop it up or edit it down. And that’s fine. I signed up for all of this knowing that. (sighs) But I also need to remember that none of this affects just me. It’s beyond me now. And I need to be more careful about that.
LOTTE finds COURTLAND’s eyes and holds her gaze.
LOTTE VOGELS
I’m sorry I wasn’t more careful. I don’t regret my choices, but I wouldn’t make the exact same ones in the exact same way again. And maybe I have more control than I think I do. If nothing else, I can be more open, more honest. I can call out the bullshit instead of taking it. I just hope I won’t have to do it alone.
The camera zooms in again on COURTLAND’s face. Her eyes are shining with tears. She gives the slightest of nods and LOTTE’s relieved exhale whooshes through the mic and across the whole tennis court like a clean winner on match point.