COLUMN: More photographers means more coverage

HOME STRETCH COLUMN
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     Over the past several years, many outstanding photographers have taken outstanding photos at Monticello High School sporting events.

     That number keeps growing. And all of them, at one time or another, have bailed me out of tricky scheduling situations by providing photos that wind up in the Express.

     I came up with a preliminary list of 10, and was going to name them here, but decided not to for fear of leaving someone out. I believe they know who they are. And I hope they know that I am very grateful.

     That’s alongside the list of terrific photographers from surrounding areas I call on occasionally – our editor Kim Brooks, sports editors from other newspapers, school staff members, even students from the yearbook staffs of Panther opponents.

     You might start to wonder if I ever actually do my own work.

     I do show up when and where I can. And I do feel pangs of guilt when I have to miss particular events.

     What I’m learning, though, is that my actual presence at an MHS sporting event means considerably less than it did – or as I imagine it did – earlier in my Express career.

     That’s because more and more people have found out that taking photos at these events and posting them on social media is not only fun, it’s less difficult than they might have imagined (shhh – don’t tell anyone). And thankfully, they have been more than willing to send me some when I need them for the paper.

     The important thing at the Express is that the biggest stuff gets covered, and that good photos from those events appear in the newspaper. Where those photos come from, as long as the quality is good, is secondary.

     Attending events has become increasingly complicated for me and my wife Diane, largely because my two sons are at high-activity ages, and are high-activity sons. This is not a complaint; we love watching them compete and/or perform. And I love the fact that small-town life includes opportunities for students to be in any – and all – extra-curricular activities they desire. Our boys have taken full advantage and are definitely better for it.

     It does make it tricky, though, for a local sports editor who is also father to these two. Thursday of last week provided a spot-on example.

     Levi had a home MHS bowling meet, and Ian was beginning his season with the eighth-grade boys basketball team down in Stanwood. These were scheduled at 4 and 4:15 p.m., respectively.         

      Not too difficult so far. Divide and conquer. I stay for bowling, D heads south for basketball.

     However, there was also a speech preview night, involving Levi, starting at 6. With the district speech contest scheduled for Saturday (which was ultimately postponed), Thursday was an opportunity for the speech kids to perform in front of a sizeable audience in preparation, and for parents and friends to take photos if they desire, since no photos would be allowed during districts.

     Thursday was also a huge wrestling night for the Panthers in Cascade, as Chase Luensman was poised to secure his 150th career victory on the same night that Lake Stahlberg recorded his 100th.

     As has been increasingly happening, I was left with an undesirable decision – miss my son’s speech performances, or miss a history-making night for Monticello wrestling? Either way, I was going to feel like I had failed someone.

     Ultimately, I stayed for speech, and asked Becky Stahlberg to help me out with wrestling. I was able to abide by the “family first” mantra my wife and I try to live by, and thanks to Becky, we got photos in the paper of the wrestlers’ big night.

     As a result, even though it didn’t necessarily feel that way to me, Thursday was a win-win.

     So thanks, all you terrific photographers. By the way, you can all stop getting better now, so maybe I have a chance to catch up again.

 

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