About Art Kearney

Appearance:

Art is above medium height, with an athletic frame. His deep brown eyes, gentle smile, and easy going demeanor make him someone that others feel comfortable approaching. Art may appear boyish, but his close-cropped brown hair is flecked with grey. His clothes mark him as a dad, in a positive way.

‍
Dialogue Style: 

Art’s voice is a rich baritone with a pronounced Kentucky drawl. His speech is peppered with sports references and motivational quotes. Art is fond of saying good conversation is like good cooking. He enjoys both.

Personality traits: 

Reserved, empathetic, loyal. Art cares deeply about his family, friends, and players. He typically shows his feelings through actions rather than words. That isn’t a guarantee he will act immediately–Art has been known to spend considerable time weighing options against each other. He’s more likely to be impulsive about personal decisions than work ones.

Backstory:  
In the summer of 1970, the people of Hartsend learned of a court-ordered plan to desegregate their high schools in the fall. New Zion, Hartsend’s Black high school, will be closed as a result.

The 1970 school desegregation order brings the potential for Art to have talented new players on his teams, like wide receiver Louis Marshall and point guard Michael Johnson. Art is eager to have them playing for Hartsend. But this could mean riling people like Friedrich Hart, who is used to buying a place for his sons on Hartsend’s teams. The Harts will be the first to allege favoritism if Louis gets a starting spot–his father Roy has been named as Art’s assistant.

Relationships:

Art and Roy both played baseball in high school. Their coaches, Jim Warmouth and Homer Bell, were friends who sometimes conferred about coaching issues. They encouraged players from Hartsend and New Zion to become acquainted. At this point, Art and Roy were acquaintances rather than friends.

After high school, Art and Roy followed roughly the same career path. Both went to the major leagues, then returned to Hartsend as assistants under their former high school coaches. In time, each became the head coach at his old high school.

However, their personal lives turned out very differently. Art’s brief marriage ended in divorce, with him getting custody of his daughter Darnelle. Roy married his high school sweetheart, a happy union that produced three children-Louis, James, and Daphne.

But the common interests in coaching and sports created a friendship between the two men. Art never missed a game at New Zion, often bringing his niece Jodie Cantrell and nephew Travis Dennard. 

Motivations and Goals:

Art’s personal motivations center on his daughter. Getting Darnelle safely through high school and started in life is his number one priority. He also looks out for Jodie and Travis since they’re students at Hartsend High.

As a coach, Art takes an interest in his players. The coming school year poses a challenge, since Art will know some of his players better than others. He’s determined to treat all his players fairly.

Character Arc:

Art’s worries about the changes at Hartsend High initially focus on his daughter. After school starts, he and Roy find themselves battling Hartsend’s administrators on behalf of the players who have come from New Zion. It’s a battle that people like the Harts won’t commend them for fighting.