Picture perfect is a phrase that fuels everyone’s inner model. To athletes, being picture perfect is essential for media day. Media day is an opportunity for teams to market athletes in the pre-season photoshoot in their uniforms, both individually and as a team. The pictures taken are used as the program covers for promoting games and for personal needs.

As an athlete, maybe you have gone through the media day experience. To some, it is stressful, and to others, it is fun. Media day is a way for teams to connect in the pre-season, make long lasting memories, and an occasion for athletes to look forward to. Junior volleyball player Avery Weslow commented on the subject by saying, “Media day doesn’t stress me out, I think it is fun. The only stressful aspect of it is the fact that it is high maintenance.”

Media day is high maintenance because everyone is frantic to get the “perfect picture” image for his or her banner, Fat Head, and photos for the season. If you have a fall sport, your media day is most likely scheduled in the summer. If it is, it makes the picture process worse because of the hot weather making you appear sweaty and causing your hair to be frizzy.

Jim Hill is the school’s photographer who conducts all the media days for all sports across all levels. He is praised by all athletes. He has been with the school for a very long time. Even senior athletes remember him since middle school. “He came in to do bowling media day, and I recognized him and remembered that he took my eighth grade basketball and freshman year soccer pictures,” senior Peyton Price said.

Media day isn’t limited to just Jim Hill’s photography as your team can take it one step further; however, this is where media days can become chaotic and go south. If your team decides to take extra pictures—for example FHC volleyball for Instagram—it takes thoughtful planning, but it never gets planned out thoroughly, hence stress builds up. Despite that fact, the pictures turn out nice and the experience of taking those pictures will be cherished.

It is obvious that female athletes take media day more seriously than the males. Senior lacrosse player Gabby Hendricks said, “Media days are super fun for the whole team because we all get to dress up looking fly with great uniforms.” The uniforms are one of the best parts because media day is also considered an early Christmas because that is the day the players receive their gear for the season.

For the male athletes, they see it more as a team bonding activity rather than plain old picture day. Sophomore football and lacrosse player Orion Roskam justified that statement as he said, “[Media day] brings us together as a team, and it builds team chemistry outside of practice.” He later added, “I can see why it can be perceived as stressful, but it is fun since it is like a break.”

Whether you love it or hate it, stress or enjoy it, media day is an  amusing event that all athletes experience during high school and is a once in a lifetime experience.