Sunday, September 28, 2014

Trackin' down Bryce...

It was an amazing couple of days for this old sportswriter.

After seeing arguably the area's best female track athlete on Monday... we followed up with her male counterpart on Tuesday.

GMG High School's Bryce Newcomb had been on my radar for quite awhile.   I had photographed him as a little boy a decade and a half ago.   Being the sports nut that I am, I was keenly aware that that boy had grown up to become one of the state's premier track and field performers.

In the middle of the craziness that is our senior busy season around here, I was reminded of Bryce by his quarterback Bridger Claassen at his session back in July.   Turns out all that speed and jumping ability makes Mr. Newcomb a fair football and basketball player as well.

But make no mistake... while dude can run a go route and dunk with the best of 'em... he's at his best in the sand.   The long jump pit sand.

So when Mama Kelly finally called to book her son's senior pictures, I was stoked to get him in here.   Not just to make amazing images... but to pick his brain...  compare stories and experience... from an old over-the-hill trackster to a current one with unlimited potential.

That potential came to fruition at last April's Drake Relays.   Already the holder of the school record at an impressive 21 feet 9 inches, America's Athletic Classic was just the time to best that mark.

His first attempt inside the blue oval did just that as the Wolverine junior popped off a 21-9 1/2.    

And then it happened.

In the type of thing that cannot be explained by logic, Bryce broke his own school record again.... by FOURTEEN inches!

His buddy Bridger had told me in July that Bryce had jumped 23 feet.  He wasn't quite correct.... it was 22-11.  

Yeah... "only" 22-11.

That jump was good enough that only one other athlete in all of the state of Iowa bested him.   Not too shabby for a fella from a Class 1A school in tiny Garwin.   Add in the fact that the young man doesn't even have a long jump pit to practice on, and it's truly mind boggling.

The state was certainly set for Newcomb to become the Class 1A long jump champion, and while Bryce will be the first to tell you his state meet wasn't what he wanted... (he ended up 5th) there's still another year ahead of him... another year of maturity and added strength and consistency... another opportunity to hone his craft... I look for big things in his senior campaign.   (oh by the way... he tossed in a 5th place finish in the 400 and 7th in the 200 for good measure... and I know he'll move up in those two races as well).

All that track stuff was a known quantity coming in on Mr. Newcomb.   What I didn't know was that he has a passion for guitar as well.   Mama Kelly assured me that her son's love of the instrument rarely extended beyond the four walls of his room at home.   It's his escape... his way to unwind.   Alone... just a guy and his guitar.   So while he brought both his electric and acoustic, Team Bryce was looking for "quiet" images with his six-strings... and that's what we tried to do.

The remainder of the session included lots of catching up with the Newcomb's, talk about his beloved Chicago Bears and of course, all the sports talk.

Fittingly then... we ended the day in a long jump pit... and then on the gritty streets of Garwin as Bryce showed off those mad hops on the playground in his Wolverine hoops uniform.   It was a different twist on what we many times do with our sports stuff at Stewart Photography... but it's what he envisioned... and it was my job to bring it to life.   Now that he's got the always important Stewart Photography Karma on his side... I have no doubt that his long jump dreams will come to life as well.

Good luck this season, my man.   Let it rip.













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