From Player to Photographer: Finding My Passion on the Sidelines

October was always one of my favorite months when I worked in TV news, especially back when I was single and shooting high school football. There was nothing like the adrenaline rush of filming games and then racing back to the station to edit highlights just in time for the show. People often ask if I miss playing high school football, but honestly, I don’t. My senior year, we went 4-5, which felt like a win at the time, though it wasn’t exactly a stellar record.

I came to realize I enjoyed covering football as a photographer much more than playing it. Being the only media presence at some of those small-town games was special. I knew how much it meant to the kids to see their highlights on TV, and that made it all worthwhile. Working alongside Cody Coil, Steve Slivka, Michael Admire, and Brandon Spiegel made those Friday nights even better. The memories we made together while covering those games are what I cherish the most.

Here are some highlights I shot back in 2008 for a show called The Pressbox.