“Winning Girl,” scheduled to be shown on public television stations across the country on Tuesday, seems like it would naturally appeal to island viewers.

The film is by Kimberlee Bassford, an award-winning documentary filmmaker born and raised here in Hawaii. The subject of the film is 16-year old Kamehameha student Teshya Alo, who dreams of competing in the Olympics in both judo and wrestling.

Star-Advertiser writer Mike Gordon featured the documentary in his Outtakes column in today’s newspaper.

He shares both the good news and the bad news. The good news is Tuesday’s national broadcast by PBS.

The bad news is that you won’t see it on PBS Hawaii.

Gordon explains.

Leslie Wilcox, president and chief executive officer of PBS Hawaii, said “Winning Girl” wasn’t up to the station’s standards but she respects Bassford’s creative decisions as an independent filmmaker. PBS Hawaii remains committed to sharing well-told documentaries about young women, Wilcox said, citing a long list of programs that have aired.

“Every film stands on its own merits,” she said.

Bassford said the PBS Hawaii decision was devastating. The filmmaker said the public will be able to find “Winning Girl” online when World Channel makes it available Wednesday on worldchannel.org. She also said that OC16 has expressed interest in airing it locally.

I have real trouble with this PBS Hawaii decision. Island filmmaker, island athlete, an inspiring Hawaii story.

Not up to the station’s standards?

A very tenuous rationale, in my view, leading to a missed opportunity for the station, and for its viewers.

Thanks to Mike Gordon for pointing out the PBS Hawaii decision not to broadcast “Winning Girl,” which might otherwise have slipped past without public comment, and for putting Wilcox on the spot to answer for the station’s decision.