Queen’s campus is an exciting place, and it’s easy to get lost in its events. The highlight of every week is the sports games hosted on the campus’ fields and courts.
In the fall, it’s hard to walk past Nixon Field without hearing the roaring crowds watching the rugby teams dominate.
In the winter, the ARC is packed with a whole host of sports, from basketball to volleyball, it’s hard to miss when all parking spots are taken by eager fans.
Athletics is something that’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention, Queen’s Athletics is host to a massive varsity program with a countless number of sports.
That’s where I come in. For the past two seasons I’ve been responsible for capturing the moments that happen at these events from the wins to the losses and everything in-between for The Journal.
I get questions all the time about why I spend so much time at games, and what keeps bringing me back. Questions that I hope have answers that inspire you as the reader to take a closer look at the people and stories behind the headlines.
A typical gameday starts with checking all my equipment in the morning, especially my batteries to make sure everything is in working order. Last thing I want to happen is to show up and not have something work or stop working in the middle of a game.
Then, I head to the stadium, field, rink, or wherever I’m needed to take photos. I can it this is often the worst part of the job, sometimes I’m just tired, it’s raining, I have weeks of work to catch up on, and the last thing I want to do is walk around on the sideline.
It’s a feeling that fades quickly when I start approaching a rainy Nixon and hear the roars of hundreds of rabid fans cheering for every play. It’s a ion that follows the Gaels everywhere they travel, and part of what makes Queen’s special.
Armed with a press , I get to walk pretty much anywhere I want, whether a shot calls to be behind a goal line, shot within the crowd, or from behind the bench.
It’s a freedom that allows me to hear the gritty detail of every game, from a frantic coach or a calming presence of a captain, to a worried parent or angry referee.
You begin to realize all the small details that go into every game, like the hours of practice to get better, so that plays become second nature, and teammates become extensions of yourself.
Whatever mood I was in before the game quickly fades away, taken over by the motivation to take shots of every storyline and emotion felt at every moment.
I’ve been to so many games, I know all the angles, how plays usually develop, where to stand at what moment, but still the feeling never fades, and I’m quickly reminded why I dragged myself out of bed.
I know it’s a feeling that’s foreign to some people, but to them I urge you to go to a game and let your guard down. Try to listen to the crowd, talk to your neighbours, and the ion.
It’s what keeps bringing me back.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].