eastlake football club

intro

This three-part Episodic series was commissioned by S-Trend to spotlight the spirit of the Eastlake Football Club. A community built on character, resilience, and legacy. Rather than producing the standard match-day edit or “hype reel”, the goal was to embody S-Trend’s Mission Statement:

Showcasing the club members as “STRs in the making”

Across two states and one tightly-timed FIFO shoot, we crafted a vérité suite exploring three pillars of the club’s identity:

• Sportsmanship - led by the Women’s First Grade Co-Captain and her definition of leadership under pressure.

• Rising to the Challenge - through the eyes of Shaun Young, Club Manager, whose unseen work carries decades of Eastlake history.

• Performance - through Men’s First Grade Captain Aaron Bruce, during what would become a defining season.

Across all three films, S-Trend’s kit wasn’t positioned as apparel — but framed as a symbol:

A jersey that shapes identity, unites the community, and empowers the athletes to be “STRs in the making”

sportsmanship

Sportsmanship at Eastlake isn’t symbolic — it’s lived in.

To explore the theme authentically, we centred in on the Women’s First Grade Co-Captain, whose leadership balances grit with composure. The interview prompts were designed to reveal her values - both as a leader and player:

• “What does sportsmanship look like when the game turns against you?”

• “How do you lead with integrity when pressure rises?”

• What does wearing the S-Trend kit represent to you and your team?”

  Our vérité methodology allowed the match to unfold naturally — warm-ups, tackles, match intensity. Ultimately concluding with the gesture that define the theme:
  the handshake line.

A moment where rivalry dissolves and character shines through.

This chapter was not about the match highlights, but how they embody being a STR in the making.

The unseen work which holds a club together.

Eastlake’s roots trace back to the 1991 merger between Manuka and Eastlake Football Clubs — a history carried forward by the people who keep the club moving today.

One of those anchors is Shaun Young, Club Manager.

The intention of this film was twofold:

• Honour the emotional spine of the club — the resilience, community, and heritage.

• Show how S-Trend supports that identity — providing a kit that mirrors the club’s pride and purpose.

Our interview prompts reflected that intersection:

• “What does Rising to the Challenge look like behind-the-scenes?”

• “What does the jersey represent to the players and community?”

• “How has the club evolved through hardship and growth?”

Shaun’s day-to-day work — early mornings, quiet problem-solving, and cultural leadership — became the key to this theme.

This piece captured exactly what S-Trend stands for:

Empowering everyday athletes and clubs to grow into STRs in the making.

performance

When discipline clashes with pressure — performance is the result.

For the Men’s First Grade Captain, Aaron Bruce, this principle defined his final season.

With steady, confident leadership, he carried the team in a way that made this film more like a character portrait, rather than a sports piece.

The interview prompts guided the narrative deeper:

• “What drives you to go beyond the scoreboard?”

• “How does the kit shape your mindset heading into game day?”

• “What does leading from the front look like to you?”

The vérité method allowed this chapter to breathe authentically — pre-game rituals, warmups, huddles, tackles, and celebrations.

Eastlake’s journey, and Aaron’s final season — the energy, momentum, and pride — paid off.

Almost poetically, the team had done it. They had gone all the way. They won the grand final.

close

This three-part series became a time capsule:
A raw, honest look at who Eastlake is as a community, and how S-Trend supports the athletes growing within it.

From the handshake lines, to the moments of quiet leadership — the unseen work, to the on-field intensity — these films revealed what it meant to be STRs in the making.