Photographer and community advocate Mitch Seaworth is calling for greater recognition of local college sports as vital community storytelling, arguing that these athletic events represent more than just games but are narratives of effort, pride, and teamwork that deserve preservation. According to Seaworth, who transitioned from player and coach to photographer, documenting the emotion and energy of local athletics serves to capture moments that might otherwise fade from community memory.
Seaworth points to NCAA statistics showing only 2% of college athletes will ever play professional sports, emphasizing that local community college athletes typically participate for love of the game rather than scholarships or fame. He believes photography helps illuminate these authentic sporting experiences, keeping stories alive for families and future generations. "A single photo can tell an entire story—a look of determination, a team huddle," Seaworth explains in his interview available at https://24-7pressrelease.com. "Those little things matter."
The photographer advocates for everyday community members to participate in documenting their local college sports scenes using readily available technology like smartphones. He encourages capturing not just scoreboard results but the small moments that reveal pride, emotion, and effort—elements he says define community identity. "Photography taught me to slow down," Seaworth says. "And when you slow down, you start to see things you might have missed before—the moments that actually define who we are."
For Seaworth, photographing local sports represents more than artistic pursuit—it's about fostering connection and preserving cultural anchors, particularly in smaller towns where college sports often serve as glue between generations and sources of community pride. He suggests several practical actions community members can take: attending local games, photographing everyday moments showing pride and emotion, sharing those moments to highlight community value, and volunteering time or resources to support local sports programs.
This advocacy matters because it addresses the underdocumentation of community experiences that shape local identity. As professional sports dominate media coverage, Seaworth's call to recognize local college athletics highlights how these events contribute to social cohesion and intergenerational connection. The implications extend beyond sports journalism to community development, suggesting that intentional documentation of local experiences can strengthen community bonds and preserve cultural heritage that might otherwise be overlooked in broader sports narratives.
