Heart of the game: Photojournalists spotlight memorable moments in sports photography

Sports photojournalists must capture action and feats of athleticism, but sports feature images are the heart and soul of sports photography.

There's a difference between action sports photography and the feature images that illustrate the center of a sports community.

What qualifies as a sports feature image can vary, but essentially it's those photos away from the action of the game.

One of the great aspects of sports in general is its role in the society. The wins and losses get recorded in history, but the bonds among athletes are forged for years to come.

These images show more than just who scored the most points in a game or who looks best on the stat sheet. When a team pulls off the double-overtime district championship win, the photojournalist rushes to the floor with the athletes and fans to capture the jubilation.

St. Vincent players hold hands to pray after a preseason jamboree game Aug. 23 at St. Vincent High School in Perryvillle, Missouri.Tyler Graef ~ Southeast Missourian

But an important loss works the same way, such as when the Jackson football team lost in overtime in the Class 5 state championship. Although it wasn't the team's and fans' desired outcome, the Southeast Missourian was there to document the end of the historic season.

But the atmosphere of sports wouldn't be complete without the fans. Supportive parents and grandparents, and the crazed student sections, with young people often decked out in a particular theme such as camouflage or togas.

In a time when sporting events are canceled due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southeast Missourian decided to take a look back at those recent images capturing the athletic spirit of our teams and their communities.

The images here highlight that spirit as do the numerous photos in the online gallery.