Our lives have changed in many small and big ways as a result of my son joining the local grassroots club about a year ago. From having considerably less free time to a steep investment in thermal and waterproof wear, not to mention an alarmingly large collection of mismatched football socks.
For me, the biggest change has been picking up the old Canon for the first time in almost a decade. Would I have stuck to it for as long as I have if it wasn't for what I photograph? No, I really believe the camera would once again be gathering dust if I was shooting architecture or travel. But youth sports keeps me coming back time and again.
So, if you want to know why I love to photograph youth sports and why I think you should try it too, if it's available to you, read on ...
Almost endless opportunities to shoot
When you start out in photography or pick it up again after a long hiatus, it can seem tricky to find reasons or subjects to shoot consistently. And consistency is exactly what you need, because a lot of it is muscle memory (there is a turning point when you can adjust your settings without looking at the buttons) and of course shooting under different conditions through the year elevates your skill set through trial and error.
With youth sports you have a scheduled raft of opportunities to hone those skills. A weekly match, maybe a training session and (generally speaking) very willing and enthusiastic participants. You don't need to feel bashful because, so long as you get the right permissions in place, most families love having "proper" photos of their little athletes.
It's a true joy to watch
Grassroots football, especially with the younger age groups, is a highly emotive game. It's often the first time children are learning to work as a team and you get to witness them naturally finding their place in that community.
And children are just great. Yes, there may be the occasional bout of frustration or they might suddenly lose the ability to hear instructions, but they will also support each other, check on their teammates and the other side, celebrate like they've won the Cup and reward you with the loveliest smiles.
You get to see, and capture, moments of unbridled joy and growing camaraderie. And the emotions on the sidelines are pretty spectacular too.
You can help children feel like heroes
This is the biggest draw. Children love to see all their hard work on the pitch captured in a photo.
The advent of smart phones means that children today are both the most photographed generation but also the least familiar with the sight of a bulky camera frame with a great big lens.
And guess what? They love it. They know that lens is there for them. They've seen big lenses like that on the side of Premier League matches, they've seen the photos of their football heroes.
So, pick up that camera (bulky or smart phone, it doesn't matter) and go enjoy that mud when season starts ...