I just wanted a chance...
And I got it.
Just a few weeks ago back on June 1, Chantel Eicher was living out a dream. She did something very few even have the opportunity to take a sniff of...
Winning a state title.
Oh she had been there before... fifth the previous year at state golf... the girl is no slouch. But to win it all?
Whoa.
I had the opportunity to photograph another state champion East Marshall individual a year ago as wrestler Ryan Valline used a late charge to grab the brass ring when no one expected it... and for Chantel, who had NEVER carded a score in the 70s up until that point... to come out and toss a 77 on the board on the final day of state at Otter Creek in Ankeny to earn her the immortal status as state medalist?
Folks... that's just clutch.
I told her that night on facebook that no matter what happens from this day forward... she now has something that no one can take away from her. She'll always have a comma after her name.
A comma?
Chantel Eicher, State Champion.
Seriously, how cool is that?
As a former competitor, it gives me goosebumps just to type it... and make no mistake... I'm green with envy. If it hadn't REALLY sunk in that night... I wanted to make SURE she knew the gravity of what she had accomplished by giving her a shout out that night on facebook... just like I had done with Valline a few months earlier.
Not surprisingly, she was gracious and thankful for the kind words, and then my attention, unbeknownst to her, turned a different direction.
To hoping.
Hoping?
That's right... that Chantel would come to me for senior pictures!
I've known Miss Eicher for a few years now because.... (follow me here).... my office helper's-brother dates Chantel.
I met her a prom a couple years back as I asked boyfriend (and Stewart Photography alum) Nic Wacha if THIS was his girlfriend standing next to him? He nodded yes... and while I didn't know about her golfing prowess back then... I did have two eyes and realized that my man Nic deserved a high-five... so he got one. ;)
Not only can she golf... but she can stop traffic... some people get all the luck!
So we fast forward then to the post-championship lull after June 1st.
I've mentioned before that I'm never been one to put myself out there with high pressure questions like... "hey... where ya goin for senior pictures?!?!?" Just isn't my style... and truth be known... I just can't handle the rejection. So, while Chantel and I had a "connection" of sorts... I wasn't sure what her plans were. And honestly... When we got to late July and nothing had happened on our front, I figured she was one that got away.
And THAT's when trusty assistant Kristin stepped in.
Evidently putting the studio's best foot forward behind the scenes, K-Dub (as I like to call her) did some arm twisting... and told me about it.
Even so, it wasn't a done deal.
When I was told of all this... I just said to Kristin... "K-Dub... she's a STATE champ... that DESERVES to be recognized and it needs to be done well." Of course, Kristin agreed... but it wasn't my employee that needed convinced... It was Team Eicher.
Somewhere along the line, that got done... and at the last minute we squeezed Chantel into what is always one of the busiest weeks of the year.
Her awesome sister, Dawn, came along for the session and was a tremendous help as we trotted all over Marshalltown. We made our second appearance at the Legion Golf Course in less than a month and after Club Pro John Schrempf saw a sweat-soaked Bryan Stewart laying prone in a sandy bunker getting repeatedly sprayed with sand by our newly crowned state champion, he shook his head and laughed...
"Man... you'll do almost ANYTHING for a buck."
Perhaps... but the reality is this. On a regular basis, I have a full spectrum of athletes coming to me... anywhere from the elite to the end-of-the-benchers.... and they ALL wanna look like state champions... if only for a day.
Chantel actually IS one... and they can never take that away from you, girl. I wanted the chance to give her accomplishment the justice that it deserved in images... and I think we did that. Thanks for the opportunity.
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