To get the preliminaries out of the way:
- Click on the images for a larger picture.
- You will notice that I am not writing about the outcome of the varsity game, so no need to ask.
- Given how much I enjoy taking football pictures, I’ve decided to choose one or more favorites of the week along with my reason for choosing them. I mean this not as an endorsement of my amateur photography, but rather what it represents in the games.
But here’s the point of this post.
It’s exciting for a young person to be a clutch hitter in baseball. It’s even more exciting when that same young person is a supportive fan for his classmates in a different sport.
The first picture above is my choice for picture of the week. For those who don’t follow Stillman Valley football, I would point out that this is not actually our team. Rather, it is a group of highly supportive fans. And while it’s always a little disturbing at first to see the body painting, we’ve learned to appreciate it.
In any case, I chose the above picture because it illustrates that our games are a community event. What makes this even more fun picture is that some of this group are excellent athletes themselves.
For instance, Jake McKnight is #30 in the picture. I am not quite sure what he is doing with his outstretched arm. If he was clergy I would guess that he was blessing the team. In any case, he is one of the best hitters on our baseball team, as seen in the picture to the left when he had a very clutch hit in a post-season baseball game. So Jake is a good baseball player, but he also supports his classmates.
A couple of other pictures capture the sense of community.
From the JV game (we feed #77 at our house):
Some of you “rules Nazis” may argue that a hold could have been called on the below play. But we will point out preemptively that it was the JV game and while it may appear that he had a little jersey, this block was not executed in the cover of darkness, but rather was in plain sight of the official . . . and an excellent run ensued.
Great photos, Chris, especially that last action shot, although that fan photo at the top is pretty cool.
Great job Chris. Thankful to have you as my pastor. You are so supportive of our entire community and that is a blessing.
Our town rallies around the high school marching band. They’ve won hundreds of titles, including a recent national one that sent them to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade — quite the accomplishment for a little town like us. So my daughter started middle school band this year and looking forward to being a part of that.
Your picture just makes me smile real big. It embodies the idea of community, and I love it. We all want to live the kind of life that includes body-painted people (figuratively). I sense a sermon illustration in that photo. It’s the modern day equivalent of Moses’ arms.
I LOVE your sports photos, Chris. You capture the passion and excitement of high school sports. (I don’t think I’m a rule nazi, but did the O-lineman hold so much he pulled the kid’s mouthpiece out?…just kidding:). Your pix have such high definition I can see everything)
Jerry, hear in the Valley we think if you can read the guys number then he isn’t being blocked.