By: R. Davis
In Morgan Hill, a youth lacrosse experiment that began in neighborhood backyards has grown into one of the most meaningful community sports programs in the South Bay. That unlikely rise — and the emotional 2024 championship run that capped it — is the subject of THE MIGHTY OAKS, a new feature-length sports documentary set to debut this holiday season.
The documentary, acquired by Freestyle Digital Media, follows the boys’ varsity lacrosse team at Oak High School during a season filled with expectation, transition, and profound personal stakes. But the film reaches well beyond the scoreboard. It explores how a group of parents, coaches, and players built something enduring in a place where lacrosse was once virtually unknown.
A Program Built From Scratch
Ten years ago, lacrosse was hardly present in Morgan Hill, where traditional youth sports like baseball and basketball dominated local fields. But a small group of parents saw something different in the sport — a game that rewarded grit, creativity, speed, and teamwork.
Among the earliest organizers was local business owner and coach Brad Ledwith, who helped launch the community program around a belief that lacrosse could provide belonging and opportunity for kids who didn’t always fit neatly into other athletic lanes. What began as informal practices slowly evolved into structured youth teams, then junior varsity competition, and eventually a full boys’ and girls’ varsity program.
Photo Courtesy: Dances with Media
The program’s growth reflects a larger sense of purpose. In many ways, this wasn’t simply about forming teams — it was about building identity, culture, and connection.
A Story Deeper Than Competition
Directed by Brendan Harty, THE MIGHTY OAKS follows the varsity team through its 2024 season, capturing pressures on athletes and coaches, emotional conversations at home, and the evolving relationships that make youth sports both formative and fragile.
The film features players whose experiences reach far beyond the field:
- A student navigating life as an adoptee and finding confidence through the sport
- A teammate using the game to honor the memory of a brother who passed away
- Coaches learning where leadership ends and compassion begins
The result is not a highlight reel. It is a portrait of adolescence, mentorship, and what it means to build a community — moment by moment, season by season.
A Release With Meaning
THE MIGHTY OAKS will be released December 9, 2025 across major North American digital and on-demand platforms, including VOD, digital HD, cable, satellite, and DVD. Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, will handle the release.
The acquisition places THE MIGHTY OAKS alongside a slate of films known for strong character-driven storytelling and independent voices. Its creators hope the documentary resonates not only with lacrosse families, but with anyone who recognizes the power of showing up for others.
At its heart, THE MIGHTY OAKS reflects the values the program was built on:
- Parents who invest time, not just attendance
- Coaches who lead with patience rather than ego
- Teenagers learning to take responsibility for themselves and each other
- A community willing to build something that did not exist before
The documentary captures how a team became a support system — and how that support system, in turn, shaped the community around it.
Photo Courtesy: Dances with Media
Film Credits
Directed by: Brendan Harty
Written by: Brendan Harty & Erik Swanson
Co-Produced by: Brendan Harty, Brad Ledwith & Erik Swanson
Featuring interviews with: Nolan Ledwith, Ben Ledwith, Kenyen Castro, Gavin Herr, Tanner Holeman, and others who helped define the program.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/5AUHeYm387g
Website: www.themightyoaksmovie.net
