For the love of the game

The battle is intense in high school and collegiate sports. It doesn't matter if there are five or 500 fans in the stands, the athletes give it all.

This photograph was not a moment where the whistle blew, play stopped, and Burton gently leaned on Sarwinksi to regain her balance. It was the start of the contest. Players were hitting the deck trying to recover the ball and Sarwinksi managed to pass the ball to a teammate with the weight of Burton on her back. Then another floor-swabbing scramble for the ball ensued before the whistle blew. There was no flight in this fight. Every athlete was giving it her all.

I get it. Been there, and done it. My years as a high school and collegiate varsity lacrosse goalie required a lot of hustle and heart. In one college game I was sprinting after a ball when I was clipped by an opponent and my legs went flying from beneath me. I was horizontal to the ground before face-planting on the turf with my brain rattling around in my helmet. My knees hurt for days, but my pride swelled with my battle wounds.

So, to all the athletes who put their pride on the line, their emotions in the wringer, and their hearts out on their sleeves, I hope I'm there to photograph the next fierce battle.