Director Christopher Summa received special recognition at the Brooklyn Film Festival for his unique union of Italian-American and African-American themes in the film.
The championship 4 by 400 meter track relay race that the characters run in was filmed using an actual track meet in New York city. Unable to get the proper filming permits necessary the producers secretly entered the actors as a new team called "Gonzaga". Unbeknownst to the track officials, there were two 16mm film cameras, one video camera, and one still photographer set in place around the indoor arena. Although the actors looked great in their uniforms, they were lapped twice and finished dead last. The films editing portrays an amazingly different scenario.
All the characters in the film attend Gonzaga College in New York. This is a fictional Jesuit College that was supposed to be located in the Bronx, NY. Symbolically, Aloysius Gonzaga is the Patron Saint of Youth, he died in his early 20's.
Coach Farnese, Gonzaga's Head Track Coach, is named after the famous Farnese family in Italian history, they began ruling in the year 1534 when Alessandro Farnese became Pope Paul III.
"Anthony Milo" is the name of the main character and was inspired by the legendary Greek athlete "Milo of Croton". He is depicted in Italian Baroque painting as a partly naked, muscular figure, his hands stuck in a tree trunk. He is either alone or about to be attacked by a lion.