Early in my high school days my father took up freelancing as a sports reporter for a local newspaper in Southeast Kansas on Friday evenings. Since my high school didn’t have a football team, I tagged along with him each and every week.

His first assignment was to cover the Thayer Flyers and the Saint Paul Indians. Think Lingle/Southeast type of rivalry. Cross county communities. Everyone knew everyone.

Prior to the heading to the game, we made a stop at the newspaper’s office to pick up a camera and our media passes. At some point on our eight-mile drive to Thayer, my dad handed me the camera and said I was going to be responsible for taking photos since he didn’t know how to use the camera.

Truth be told, neither did I. However, I made it work and got a couple usable photos for the Saturday edition of the Chanute Tribune.

The small stadium, with similar seating capacity to that of Southeast’s Teeter’s Memorial Field, had people crammed into the stands with people standing all the way around the field.

I don’t remember much more about the game expect the state-ranked Indians ran past the Flyers, and I discovered a love for photography.

On the way home, I’ll never forget the conversation I had with my dad. He asked what I thought about standing on the sidelines of a football game, and I told him I would love to do this at an NFL game someday. He told me to set it as a goal of mine. I did.

Speed ahead 13-14 years, on Oct. 11, 2015, he saw me accomplish the goal when I shot the Kansas City Chiefs and da Chicago Bears. Over the next three years, I got to shoot an additional 12 Chiefs games, plus a handful of Kansas City Royals games.

During that span of time, I met so many great photographers, and I set another goal for myself: I wanted to do what they do – take photos for a living.

I’m thankful my dad got to see me fulfill my NFL photography dreams, but sadly, he’ll never see me accomplish my other dream which I will fulfill beginning Monday, Nov. 6.

On that note, it’s time for me to bid Torrington, Goshen County and the Telegram farewell again.

I’m so thankful to Rob Mortimore for taking a chance on me in April of 2012, and then convincing me to come back in the summer of 2018 after three years away. 

It has been a ride of many highs. State championships. The friendships. The road trips to nearly every corner of the state, among many, many more highs.

Along the same lines, there have been many lows as well. Lies. Egos. False accusations. Winless seasons. Seven-day work weeks. Burnout. 

I promise I won’t let a small group of Negative Nancy’s and Downer Dan’s from Lingle ruin my time and experience I had over the eight and a half years and my overall thoughts of the many amazing people in Goshen County.

Through it all, I leave Goshen County a better person and better journalist as a result of my time here.

Thursday, Nov. 2 will be final day at the paper. That day, I will make the drive to Casper that day for the first day of the state volleyball tournament, and it will mark my final assignment for the Telegram.

Don’t fret though, I’m not going far. On Friday and Saturday, I will be making the move to Casper as I begin my new adventure working at the Casper Star-Tribune as the paper’s staff photographer. I have no doubt our paths will cross again at future state volleyball, wrestling, basketball tournaments, as well as the track and field state championships.

If there is one message I want to leave you, especially to the student-athletes of Goshen County, pursue your dreams, no matter what they are and no matter what doubters say. I’m living proof it can be done. Whether it’s shooting an NFL game or becoming a full-time photographer, if you put your mind to it, you can and will achieve your dreams!