As I arrived at the football field Friday evening, I was excited to photograph yet another high school football game. Very strange, right? But true, and here’s why: High school sports have heart. You can sense the players’ emotions, and the pride is evident in the student section of the bleachers. I was doubly thrilled when I got to go into the locker room (well, in this case, the school gym) and listen to South Hadley High School head football coach, Scott Taylor, give his team a pep talk, meant to quell pre-game jitters. It reminded me of one of my all-time favorite football quotes, from “Friday Night Lights: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”
— Andrew Whitaker