South Texas Shooters (Photography That Is!)

As I get older I look back more on the memories, milestones and moments that I’ve been privileged to witness. In particular I highlight the ones from a Field Where Dreams Become Reality. What started as an afternoon of photography has developed into a passion for capturing moments and memories for young women who put their hearts, minds and souls into a sport and into each other.

The folks who guide and lead them are dedicated to creating strong women on and off the field, I admire their determination in bringing forward the best from each person they are charged with. I am grateful and thankful for their support and their trust.

Images from my lens:

In March of 2007 I attended my first game at Texas State University, I was intending to add to my portfolio of images, I lacked some women’s sports images. Looked in the paper and found that there was a softball game scheduled. Now nearly 16 years later I am still adding to my portfolio of women’s sports, although the portfolio leans heavily (very heavily) towards Softball!!! From that day in 2007 I was hooked by the heart, hustle, grace and grit of the women on the field. I was also hooked by the kindness of the coaches who guided the women on the field.

Today I look back and look forward on the impact the sport and most importantly the people in the sport have made to my life and to the moments and memories that have come from the people and the sport. In one day the 2023 season will begin and I will begin my 16th year of capturing moments and memories for the athletes, coach’s , parents, families and staff of the program. What started as a one time visit has become a passion for the best I can provide for these folks who give every bit of themselves to the sport, each other, to their families and to the folks that coach, mentor, teach, support and love them.

As the title of this entry is Gracias TXST Softball, I am taking this time to say Thank You to all who have given me the honor privilege and opportunity and to me the most important thing is The Trust!! I take this opportunity to say thanks to the folks who have helped and supported me along the way.

Thanks to Ricci W, PeeJay B, Amber D, Alex D, Catherine O, Kelly K, Coralee R, Megan C, Bobby B, Haley L, Paige Mc, Julia H, Jessie F, Scott W, Ryan W, Joshua T, Dani E, Morgan R, Denise T, Jen H, Charlie D, Chris B, Amanda M, Darcy D, and to each and every athlete since March of 2007 to date. Thank you to every family member of the athletes and coach’s.who provided their love and support to their children and shared their friendship and kindness with me!

Let the game begin for I have cleaned lens, charged batteries, and extended my commitment to these folks who have become family to me. Thank you again for the honor, privilege, opportunity and trust to capture the moment!

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.’ ~ Ansel Adams

Peter (Pete) V

Definition of trust

A: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

B:  one in which confidence is placed

Over the years I have been trusted in many forms and ways, trusted to finish the job, trusted to keep ones word, trusted to keep in confidence information shared with me.

In recent years I realized a very special trust given to me. My passion for photography is well known by the folks that know me well. For a number of years I’ve be privileged to capture moments for Texas State Softball, within this privilege has grown trust to capture personal moments that become lifetime memories! In a world full of camera’s (cellphones, point & shoot, digital and film camera’s) just about everybody has a camera and is a photographer or so it seems!

Photography for me is the art of freezing a moment in time to be viewed later on and reminisce, recall, frown, smile, laugh and remember! To the outside world I attempt to make taking photos simple, even easy & fun. Although a photographer knows it is not simple or easy, but down deep it is always fun, well maybe not when it comes editing time. But just like the days in the darkroom it is fun to see the image appear in the developer, with the digital image it appears on a screen and I know when it is that special one.

When someone asks me to take a picture they are placing their trust in me to capture that special moment and freeze the moment for a lifetime. That is a special type of trust, because the moment only happens once and you know when it’s the moment and your lens and eye has captured it. In recent years I have found that my heart, mind and soul gets bright and warm when this trust is shared with me. As the years pass through my life I have found that trust and love is a life’s fuel, without love and trust it just don’t mean nothing! With love and trust it keeps the fire going in the heart and soul, it makes each day worthwhile!! I am honored to be trusted with the moment!

I could have kept this entry down to a few words, “thank you to all the people that trust me with their special moments and who feel comfortable with sharing their trust. I am eternally grateful and thankful for your kindness and trust!!

Some of the moments entrusted to my eye and lens!!

With five days remaining in the year 2021, I want to share some images and thoughts on the year, my year. January came in with a promise of a change and a gradual return to a normal life. But with each sunrise and sunset, a little bit of the wall was chipped away, but then suddenly, I found that some were adding more mortar to the wall. But I remained to pursue a positive way. It has been a tough year in my quiet kind of way of dealing with the new normal. Most each day started and ended almost identical to the day before and the day yet to be. Woke up, went to the job, and came home, then repeated the process over and over again throughout the year 2021. There were days that a break from the new normal occurred and return to normal was attained, those days and times have helped to keep my heart, mind, and soul grounded, not high, not low, just level flight. For those days, times, and folks who provided those times, you are so very appreciated; you may never know how much impact your actions, caring, kindness and compassion mean to me. I am forever thankful for you and shall always hold you so close to my heart. Forever in my prayers are you who, “Dared To Care”!!

January 2021 started with a return to My Field of Dreams, a place where I feel that I make a difference with camera and lens, where I am witness to heart, hustle, grace, grit, and most of all, smiles which renew my spirit!

February was unlike no other that I have experienced since settling in Texas, a snow fall which rivaled the ones back in NYC! For a short month, it sure took a long time to get through.

March filled in with a bit of promise, but it soon became evident that I was going through a modern day Twilight Zone! Very little change but more moments that bring warmth to my heart!

April made this heart smile with all the spring smiles that blossomed!

May capturing moments and memories that bring smiles!

June is a time to honor a young woman who astounds me with the depth of her talent, which knows no limits, “Unlimited Talent.”

July the return of the Olympic Games and a hope that all moments will be Golden

August, I received my Twenty Five years of service ring and am thankful for the lessons learned, bad and good!

September another anniversary of a day that started a change to our world. I am remembering September 11th.

October one more year of life celebrated. A return to the field that creates a smile. A renewal of a friendship with magnificent women!

November is a month of sorrow, remembrance, and thanks!

December the month that closes out the year 2021, a month where I remember the bad, the beauty, the good, the unexpected, and all the blessings I have and shared!

I hope that you who visit this page will smile for a moment and remember! My hope and prayer for all of us are that 2022 brings even more moments and memories that bring our hearts, minds, and souls a smile. Lastly, for the few who think my caring is false, fake, or with a hidden purpose, you made a wrong assumption and therefore made an ass of yourself, you shall miss out on my caring, kindness, concern, and compassion. “Your Loss”

The past few days have been a time of thought, transition, sadness, sorrow, questioning, remembering, recalling, smiles, warmth, understanding, tears and prayers.

I suspect that all the above will go on for a long time and then some!

Back in 2019, I was told that a young woman I had met through the softball program at Texas State University had been diagnosed with The “Big C”. At that time I prayed, asked The Lord to bring healing to this extraordinary women, who I had met some 6 years earlier at an alumni game. It was not her play on the field that brought on an admiration that will last a lifetime, but after the game the alumni spoke to the current squad and it was during this time that I listened to an address to the athletes that was so genuinely from the heart, so full of passion, so full of spirit and Spring! That it grabbed my heart and soul, I can not recall her comments but that’s not what’s important, the fact that she was able to capture my old heart, mind and soul.

Over the years I have learned that her excitement and quest for Life captured many hearts. A person who would show up at 100% each and every time and had another 100% in reserve. To be around her, you could not help but be motivated, it was a certainty that you’d be motivated! She made me motivated each and every time we met. I told someone one day, she is the kind of person that could motivate you to run through a mine field, run through the fire, face a tank and come out victorious!! And if she asked me to do it again I would without a nanosecond of hestitation. As we would say in the Army, I’d follow her to Hell and Back!

There are only a few people you meet during your lifetime who bring that kind of admiration from my heart. There’s a line from a 90’s movie (A Bronx Tale) “You’re only allowed three great women in your lifetime. They come along like the great fighters, every ten years.”. Well this women would be one of the three great fighters in my lifetime.

A fighter to the end, always strong. Well this past weekend The Big “C” got the bell and took her from us. There is a hole in my heart today and I suspect it will remain till my last heartbeat, the remainder of my heart knows that she no longer suffers from the pain, she no longer has the trials and tribulations of this life. But my heart along with many other hearts will bear a hole. But again I think we can all agree that our lives have been blessed by having our life roads cross and parallel for a time. I know I am truly blessed to have known this magnificent women, athlete, coach, friend, leader and lover of life!

The photo shared here is one that I asked Texas State Softball to pose for right after I heard that she was battling The “C”. The image was made to let her know we are sharing our strength with her strength. I am forever grateful to Head Coach Woodard for allowing me to address the squad and ask them to pose on that chilly October day in 2019. I thank every member of the squad for allowing me the honor of capturing this moment. “We Shall Always Remain Spring Strong”

Jessica Ann Spring, January 5, 1981 – October 16, 2021

Dear Cat,

Thank you, Cat, for being such a fantastic friend, Coach, inspiration, mentor, a role model for so many! I recall the first time seeing you at Athens Games in 2004, then again at the Beijing Games in 2008. I was amazed at the fierce competitor you are, but what caught me was your smile! From Fire and Ice to a smile that would melt an iceberg and extinguish the most powerful fire.

I got to see you in person when you were at St Edwards and when you came over to Texas State. There, admiration for your sporting talents was replaced by tremendous respect for the person, not the athlete. You showed such and still display a caring for those around you!

In 2016 your caring and kindness were inspiring as I lay in a hospital bed scared beyond anything I had ever faced before or since. Your visit was unexpected but so welcomed by me. That day you became “One of Life’s True Treasures”, and you shall always be to me and those that know you!

As you unlace your cleats and put down your glove from the active athlete, I thank you for your commitment to the sport, your teammates, and your coaches. The magical spin only you can put on a ball is legendary and shall always remain etched in the books. The term “Greatest Of All Time” is well deserved and so hard-earned! But what makes you forever a Life’s Treasure is your caring heart, mind, and soul!

I am so blessed to have you as a friend and an inspiration. I am so fortunate that I had an opportunity to stand in the batters box against you! Three swings like a rusty gate, but the most memorable swings of my life! Thank you for providing me a story I can share about that day and maybe I’ll get some consideration when I stand before the Father and Son on Judgement Day!

Thank you for every smile, kindness, and hug! Thank you for being One of Life’s True Treasures!! Thank you for being such a positive impact on so many life’s!!

I shall always be one of the folks that shall Always Stand Beside You!!

Look so forward to being witness to the many moments of caring and kindness you will make happen in the future.

Thank you for being a friend.

Peter “Pete” Vives

If my attitude bothers you, my apologies to you, If my caring attitude towards you makes you feel uncomfortable, my apologies to you. If my quest to Do The Right Thing bothers you, my apologies to you. If my work ethic makes you think I have ulterior motives, yes I do, it is to give folks my best efforts, if that bothers you, my apologies to you. If my willingness to share my experience or assistance bothers you, my apologies to you. If I gift you something it comes from the heart, if it bothers you, my apologies to you. If my reason and common sense bothers you, my apologies to you. If my speech and manner of speaking bothers you, my apologies to you. If my straightforwardness bothers you, my apologies to you. If my desecration and diplomacy bothers you, my apologies to you. If my silence at times bothers you, my apologies to you. If my appearance bothers you, my apologies to you. If my lack of knowledge bothers you, my apologies to you. If my looking out for you, bothers you, my apologies to you. If my upbringing bothers you, my apologies to you. If I bother you, my apologies to you!!

Over this past year I have been told that some or all of the above bothers some, not all but some. I tried to do better and attempt to win you over, but it has been unsuccessful, not because I lacked effort but because you were bothered by me. Not all have been bothered by the things that make me, ME! To those that I admire, care for, honor and have the highest respect for, you shall always have the puzzle pieces that make up me.

To those that get bothered by me being me, this is my last apology to YOU!! I have made it to a point in my life that I can not put effort into those that don’t deserve the effort. I don’t know how much time God has given me on my clock, but I want to share my time with the Best that Life has!!! I care, I have not always cared, there was a time when I would have stepped on you, over you and right thru you. I am pleased that I am not there these years, and the years that remain I wish to give my best to the best!!

I will screw up, mess up and make mistakes and fall on my ass again and again, but I will adjust, get up, move forward and do better because of YOU!!! I will apologize when I have done wrong, not when I’m doing the right thing.

2021 a year that is still providing magical moments and a slow return to normal life as much as possible. But that’s not the purpose for this entry, it is a moment to thank The Super Seniors of Softball all across the nation at all levels of college softball. During the first half of 2021 I was elated to get back behind a camera and lens and catch and capture moments on the field. I witnessed The Super Seniors of Texas State give their all and leave their all on The Field of Dreams in San Marcos. I have been blessed to be a small part of this incredible program and all the people who have made, are making and will make it magical.

2021 has also shown that across this country in all schools that have a softball program at the college level many Super Seniors where playing and performing their best on and off the field. At the end of the regular season Conference Championships took place and from there Regional Tournaments led to Super Regional Tournaments and on to The Women’s College World Series took place from D3 to D1 level there where magical moments. This year The WCWS was filled with magical moments and incredible passion and strength of character and conviction and heart and hustle with grace and grittiness. Super Seniors put it all out for all to see and be in wonder!!! I too was in great wonder of these incredible young women and their athleticism, I learned that these women fight hard and to the last drop of sweat, they put all their heart into the game they played for fun. This year names came out of the moments that have become memories for hundreds of thousands and role models for the young girls out there who look for leadership and role models who they can be like, who they can play like. I saw these young women and was in awe of the their strenght and grace, their passion and purpose, it use to be an insult to tell me that you throw like a girl, but if I could throw, hit and run like these girls I might have ended up on a Yankee roster a whole bunch of years ago. Today I am glad that I can be witness to their hits, throws and passion. I am fortunate enough that I can use my passion with a camera and lens to catch and capture the moments that will and have become memories for as I say my kids and their coaches and family’s.

I have been blessed to witness the magnificent plays of this years World Series that will be noted in the history books for having the most viewers, have played all games (17) for the first time in it’s history! I was amazed at how TV coverage was near equal to the pros game, there were 42 cameras in use during this years World Series, views from every possible vantage point. The broadcasters in the booth were and are the very best, their insight and passion put the viewer in the know! I am thankful to each and everyone of the broadcasters and crew!!

As the title of this entry is Super Seniors, I thank them for all the magical moments they gifted me and us with. To my Texas State Super Seniors thank you for each and every magical moment but most of all for every smile and every moment of trust you displayed for me. You provided me with so many smiles to my heart and memories for my mind! I again am blessed to know you and to be privileged to catch and capture the moments you create!!!

To all the young women who participate in this game, to all the women that have participated in this game and to the young women who are coming up in the game, to the coach’s, trainers, managers, staffs of each program and parents I thank you for your efforts may not always be in the stadium lights but without you they would never get the chance to be their best on the field and in LIFE!!!!!

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It’s that time of the year and it has been over 700 hundred days but The Women’s College World Series Championship round begins tonight!!

So far this year from Conference Championships through Regionals, Super Regionals and through the elimination rounds In Oklahoma City, the play on the field has been astronomical, exceptional and outstanding!!! The athletes on the field has been Magical. Many Dreams Became Reality on the field and some Dreams Got Dashed on The Field. But in my humble opinion each and every girl that stepped on the field from Conference play till today and beyond are making their dreams come true. For each women who steps on a field and picks up a bat and ball you became a winner in my eyes, because through your love for the sport, you spent countless hours practicing, perfecting, fine tuning the sport that sparks the fire in your heart and eyes!!! I am blessed that what was suppose to be one day at the field to snap some pics has turned into a never ending striving to catch and capture the moments athletes who catch, hit, kick, run and throw “Like A Girl”! Are girls who turn into exceptional women again my humble opinion!!

This years WCWS has been exceptional with history making moments and athletic efforts that appear to be Super Hero Like! These athletes have me hooping and hollering to the point my fur people started looking at me like I have lost my mind and maybe I did just a little. There have been a few tears shed because of the efforts displayed and the sadness of knowing for some of these fine athletes it will be there last time on the field in the big light!!!

But the one thing that I am assured of is that there are more Super Heroes on the way and I look forward to seeing their moments and hope that I am able to catch and capture as many moments as I can for a long time to come. And it is also my dream to maybe one day stand in the photo well at The Women’s College World Series and catch and capture moments and memories there and it would be an added blessing and bonus if my Texas Family is standing our there on The Field Where Dreams Become Reality!!!!!

So let me close out by expressing my thanks to each and every athlete, coach, athletic trainer, team manager, parent that makes a little girls dream turn into Athletic Women’s Reality!!!!!

Lastly I will address the inequality that I am being made aware of between women and men’s athletics. These women work hard, display Heart, Hustle, Grace, Grittiness, Blood, Sweat and Hardships that the male athletes are not put through. Someone at the executive level needs to step up and do The Right Thing! Let’s make the future promising for that little girl who will become the fine athletic women one and off the field.