In Photos: Wake Tech Athletics 2017

2017 Year in Photos

Waketechsports.com recently sat down with our Sports Information Director, Joshua McKinney to review his favorite photos from 2017.  From our conversation, we learn a little more about why each photo is important to Wake Tech Athletics and discover the stories they tell about our programs and our athletes.

Waketechsports.com (WTS): You take a lot of photos for our programs, what do you enjoy most?

Joshua McKinney (JM): I'm not a trained photographer, so I've had to learn as I go.  If you had asked me this question three years ago, I would have said capturing a dunk, goal, homerun or volleyball kill.  As I've grown, I value photos that show an athletes focus, passion, and desire.  In 2017, I tried to focus on emotion- a celebration or the obstacles our athletes face during a game.

WTS: We'd imagine the first challenge was narrowing down the selections for 2017?

JM: Absolutely!  Out of the hundreds of photos I took during the year, I was able to pick out 28 that stood out above the rest.

WTS: Why these photos?  What do they convey about Wake Tech Athletics and our student athletes?

JM: From these photos you are going to see celebration, teamwork, friendship, pressure, challenges, and most importantly a love for their specific sport.  We're very fortunate to have coaches who recruit some outstanding athletes at Wake Tech.  Our athletes are building a solid foundation for their future through academics and athletics.

Many years ago, I was a student athlete.  I knew early on I wasn't going to play sports at a professional level after college, but I was given an opportunity to play the sport I loved while getting a college education.  That's a dream come true!  It's my goal to instill in our student athletes that they have a tremendous opportunity to learn while doing something they love.

WTS:  You believe these photos capture everything you want people to see about Wake Tech Athletics and our athletes?

JM: I believe they do.  Win or lose, our athletes are learning.  They care about the game, their teammates, and their performance.  What they may not realize is they are contributing to something larger than themselves.  Our athletes are building a foundation for what it means to be a Wake Tech Eagle.  We're proud of their commitment on the field of play and value their dedication to their studies.

2017 Year in Photos: Wake Tech Athletics