FROM THE EDITOR: The Icon is fortunate to have a number of excellent sports photographers in the community. In 2025 Jamie Nygaard and Marvin Foster offered to take photos of the OHSAA DII State Track Finals. We asked them both for some of their favorite pictures and an account of their experience.

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By Marvin Foster

I believe this is the 14th time I have had a credential for State Track. Most of those years have meant grabbing a spot in the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium locker room turned media room, and calling it home base for the next two days. It is always interesting to see how the professional photographers and newspeople go about their job, and I will often be grateful that I am not trying to scratch out a living doing the same.

One last go over of the heatsheets with a highlighter, marking events, times, heats and lane assignments, with an eye on not missing any runners and strategizing as to where to position oneself to get the shots.  

Speaking of where to be, there are designated locations and then there are better locations.  A little chit chat with the officials between events goes a long way towards getting access to those better locations when needed.

I would say "then the gun goes off" but OHSAA has moved away from the gun and moved to the electronic start like you might hear during swimming or professional track events.  It is underwhelming at best.

Bluffton more than shined with 5 podium finishes in 2025, nothing more impressive than Senior Marek Donaldson winning the 800m in his first year running track.  All the while Bluffton alum, Hannah Chappell-Dick, was in the stands talking him up to NCAA D1 coaches. This is the 37th time a Blufftonite has stood atop the podium for a track event. 

Bluffton Athletic Director, Alex Hanna, makes sure that he is the one who hands out any medals to Bluffton athletes and there is no one more excited to do it.

The meet ends with a traditional gathering at the Jesse Owens statue outside the SW corner of the stadium that bears his name, for a photo. And then it is off to BD's Mongolian Grill for Coach Theisen's yearly big Brownie Sundae.