Filmmaker Brad Ledwith Discusses The Mighty Oaks Documentary on The Neil Haley Show

On The Neil Haley Show, host Neil Haley welcomes filmmaker Brad Ledwith to discuss his passion project documentary The Mighty Oaks, a film about high school lacrosse, community, and the journey from failure to championship success. Ledwith shares how the project evolved over 10 years, beginning when his twin children discovered lacrosse at a summer camp in Southern California. As a former baseball player unfamiliar with the sport, Ledwith found himself coaching by watching YouTube videos until a parent who had played professional lacrosse—Coach Gary—stepped in to mentor the team. This coach became a transformative figure, instilling grittiness and drive in the players. The documentary chronicles how a small public school team, Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, went from never winning a game for three years to competing for a division title against private schools, with 8 of the original 14 players eventually going on to play college sports. The film, which won Best Documentary at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, has been compared to classics like Hoosiers and Hoop Dreams for its inspirational underdog story. Ledwith emphasizes that the documentary's appeal extends beyond lacrosse fans—it's about perseverance, working through failure, and the power of community coming together to support young athletes through personal challenges and tragedies. The Mighty Oaks is available for pre-order on Apple TV and premieres on video on demand December 9th on both Apple TV and Amazon Prime, with pre-sales setting records for sports documentaries. The film can be explored further at themightyoaksmovie.com, where viewers can watch the trailer and learn more about this feel-good story perfect for the holidays.