I’ll never forget the first time I took sports photos.

It was on production day of week one during fall quarter of my junior year. The sports editor, Austin Walsh, and I made our way to football practice and arrived shortly before practice was about to end. The assignment: Get photos of running back Colton Coy.

I only had one opportunity to get these shots. I was so nervous, but that all changed once I started snapping pictures.

I was hooked. From that day on, sports became my favorite thing to photograph.

I loved being on the sideline right next to the action, but most of all I loved the challenge of getting that perfect shot and freezing the action at just the right moment.

I even started showing up at games to take pictures without being assigned, which is something I’m thankful I did for those moments when photos were needed, and there just happened to be no home games that week.

My experience with the T&C also introduced me to the sport of lacrosse. I had never seen a game before, and I knew next to nothing about the sport. This posed a bit of a challenge at first, and I was a little on the nervous side. I don’t know what I was so worried about, though. I caught on fairly quickly and was able to get that amazing shot of the goalkeeper, which was on the cover for week two this past spring. That photo is my favorite sports action shot I have taken.

Not only did my time as photo editor lead me to discover my passion for sports photography; it also gave me the opportunity to work with an amazing staff, which became more like family. They are all very talented and have been a blast to work with.

Josh, I’m sorry Lindsey lied to you, but I’m not sorry we let you eat 1,200 calories worth of doughnuts. I hope you felt “nice and full.”

Kaity, thanks for letting me take photos of your hands, not once, not twice, but four times.

Steven, no, I will not write an article for your section.

Anna, is there any way we can shrink this ad?

Lindsey, Starbucks run?

Mike, thanks for being the best T&C DJ, and congrats on being the next editor-in-chief.

Leah, all those headshots that I always seemed to forget about.

Alyssa, wait, whose turn is it? What color is it? Gotta love Uno.

Jordan, you’re welcome for all of those awesome sports photos that I always seemed to make sure your pages revolved around, and thank you for always being optimistic … Can we make that photo larger?

Dr. Warren and Mike Wagner, I’m pretty sure you both are still in denial that I am a senior. You two have been the best advisers this staff could have asked for. Not only when it came to the paper, but life in general.

New photo editors Kristen and Blythe, I hope T&C is as great of an experience for you as it has been for me. I wish you both the best of luck, though I don’t think you will need it.

There are things I’ll miss about T&C and I have learned a lot from it, but I know it’s time to close this chapter of my life and open up the next.