The Agony of Defeat Always Accompanies The Thrill of Victory


ABC Sports and Jim McKay were right. In the opening of the ABC Wide World of Sports McKay would say "the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat…the human drama of athletic competition." This simple phrase, along with the opening sequence of videos always impressed me about the human emotional side of sports.


While shooting sports I always try to also capture the emotion of the game. Often there's an ebb and flood of emotion - the ups and downs of a game. One benefit of shooting local teams is that you get to know a lot of the players when you've followed a team for the season. In addition to learning about their skills and play tendencies you can get a sense of their personalities.


A consequence of following a team is that I often become invested in the team, the kids. Although I always try to curb all emotion while at the game shooting the action, I celebrate a little inside when they win, and feel a little pain when they loose.


Fortunately I have photos during the season that show the full spectrum of emotion - the "thrill of victory AND the agony of defeat". This helps me put their season into perspective and I often try to share some of my insights.


But clearly, photos can capture "the human drama of athletic competition." Jim McKay was right.


The Thrill of Victory - Western Alamance defeats First Flight during their Round 4 match of the 2021 NC High School Athletic Association playoffs.