SELFL Wrestling - Sports Photography Torrington Wyoming

The Southeast/Laramie-Fort Lingle Wrestling team poster shoot belongs on my list of all-time favorite sports photography sessions. Not so much for the design, but simply for the experience.

This year, the two schools combined their wrestling squads and wrestle as one team. The move was based on how the season was structured around Covid-19. I walked into our shoot thinking the kids would each be in their own school colors and want to be identified as such on the poster.

Nope.

They purposefully chose to wear brown and gold, the neutral colors they chose for the season.

I asked if they wanted to be Southeast on one side and Lingle-Fort Laramie on the other.

Wrong again.

Attitude is Everything

“Just mix us up. That’s how we’re rolling this year,” one wrestler told me.

In a time where everything is mixed up and there’s reason to be bitter over unrealized plans, these wrestlers embraced the situation and are indeed rolling with it.  They work together as a team, enjoy each other’s company, and leave their egos at the door.

The coaches, too, reflect the attitude.  LFL Coach Brandon Gifford told me he really liked the new format and that he’s learned a ton from Southeast coach Mark Bullington.  Bullington says LFL coaches Gifford and John Gibson have brought a different perspective and energy to the squad.

I have to wonder if this would be the case everywhere.  Could teams from two schools, often rivals, come together like this?  Would I have welcomed athletes or students from another school into the fold with such a great attitude at that age? I’m honestly not sure.

Wrestling is an individual sport, so no one is really competing for playing time.  And some of these kids have been wrestling club together since they were in preschool.  But still, watching them, you couldn’t really tell they haven’t been a team from way back.

Community Support

Even the parents got in on the action, many of them wearing their own brown and gold gear to support both teams at matches.  The Southeast parents were whooping just as much noise for the Lingle boys as they were for their own, and vice versa.

Regardless of the reason, these two programs truly have embraced the “two schools…one team” mentality and it’s just really cool to watch.  It makes for a relaxed, tension-free sports photography session.  And finally, it makes me proud of both programs, all four coaches, the parents, and these outstanding young athletes.  We could probably all take a lesson from them in just rolling with it and making the most of the opportunities we are given.

Dirt Road Wife Photography offers photography and graphic design services for all your sports needs!  I can design banners, posters, social media graphics, buttons, and more!  Contact me today about photographing your teams or creating custom products to promote your favorite athletes!  I offer competitive pricing, modern designs, and a fun atmosphere!