My most ambitious project in high school has came through my self-produced, feature-length documentary. Ladybug: A Story of Champions released on March 14th, 2026.
WATCH HERE:
WHAT IS LADYBUG?
Ladybug is the story of Exeter’s 2025 girls soccer team, and how its senior class went from worst to first in Berks County.
It’s county championship victory in October marked the program’s first-ever title, allowing them to “hang that banner”.
But that doesn’t do justice to the story of these amazing athletes. It took years of failure, hard work, and dedication towards one another to reach that moment.
The Ladybug served as Exeter’s lucky charm in the 2025 season, allowing them to push harder through every game and achieve something great.
The film was entirely directed and produced by me. It combines interviews from athletes, as well as video and photographs from the best media in Berks County.
The stars of the movie include:
- Molly Giering
- Mairead Dolan
- Holly Skipper
- Madeline McAuliffe
- Chayse Flood
- Aubrey Ridge
- Mackenzie Mentzer
- Julieanna Albu
- Tom Legath
The feature-length film spans 75 minutes and is accessible through YouTube.
WHY?
So what compels a high schooler to spend months of their senior year creating a documentary from scratch?
I wanted to challenge myself to create something at a caliber I had never reached. It’s fun and important covering each and every game, but those moments aren’t defining.
Ladybug is the exclamation mark on the work that I’ve put into my high school career. It has been my most impactful project to date.
And do work on something like this, there was no better team or story than Exeter’s girls soccer team.
The team has been fun to work with and has always allowed me to build a personal connection, something so special about this championship. To spotlight these incredible student-athletes meant the upmost importance to me.
In creating this project, I’m able to document the defining moment in the careers of these incredible players. I’m able to give new light to a program that has, for decades, been underappreciated.
The work ethic that these girls have put into this team inspires me to be better and achieve something greater each and every day, which I used to make their film.
THE MAKING OF LADYBUG
The idea to create a documentary has stuck with me for years, dating back to watching 30 for 30 on ESPN in my youth. As soon as the final horn rang out at the Berks Championship, I knew it could be Exeter’s girls soccer team.
The production of Ladybug officially began in December with the help of Tom Legath, the athletic director, the team’s boosters, all of the interviewees, and those lending permission for video and photography.
All interviews, minus Legath, were filmed in the mat room at Lausch, Exeter’s administration building. Three days of filming were held to ensure all interviews could take place.
The editing process was not easy, but by February, it was done.
Ladybug was revealed to the world via a teaser trailer on January 10th, starting the promotional roll out. It was later revealed that the movie would be screened as a premiere to the team and community on March 14th.
THE RELEASE
Ladybug released on March 14th at Exeter Township Junior High School at 1:00 PM, and on YouTube at 7:00 PM.
We were thrilled to have over 120 guests in attendance from the team and community! It was an amazing, bittersweet experience.
LESSONS LEARNED
Don’t settle to be “good enough”. The loss to Governor Mifflin was the team’s greatest failure, which allowed them to blossom into county champions. This film is not some random high school project to me; I’m hoping fans can enjoy this project in a true documentary experience.
Exeter undeniably had the most talented team in Berks, and probably in program history, but that only gets you so far. A hard-working Wilson or Mifflin beats Exeter any day if the girls hadn’t worked, but they were destined to reach new levels, working harder than anyone else to do it.
Sports are beautiful. They harvest these young relationships and create lasting memories. These are the stories that mean the most to me covering, and to watch this team grow has been an unforgettable experience.
Adam Cooke Journalism 