When it comes to high school sporting events, many people think of players giving it their all on the field, cheerleaders pepping up the crowd and anxious fans sitting on the edge of their seats.
Few think of the student running up and down the sidelines with a camera, capturing those moments and memories. At Apollo High School, that student is Eli Dych, a now graduate who spent his high school career leaving a legacy in sports media.
Although Dych is a long-time athlete and has been a swim team member, his first dive into media was his junior year through Eagle News Live, the school’s news program.
While his junior year was focused on learning the ropes, Dych took on a bigger role his senior year.
“I took on a leadership role this year helping everyone out and I started a new sports segment on ENL that will continue next year,” Dych said. “It’s really informative to the students that care about the sports in our school and gives recognition to the athletes.”
Dych also explored other opportunities to develop his skills in sports media.
“I joined the yearbook this year and I had the opportunity to go take pictures at a football game,” Dych said. “I was able to get down on the sidelines and I immediately fell in love with taking pictures.”
After gaining more experience with the yearbook and covering more sporting events, Dych started the brand Eli Dych Sports Media. Through his brand, he takes sports-based photos and makes graphics and videos and posts them on his social media. He also recently branched into selling merchandise.
Dych said that while his brand, work with the yearbook and ENL helped him to hone his skills and do more outreach, it also helped student-athletes at AHS.
“As a high school student, it’s hard to pay for professional pictures,” Dych said. “I was able to shoot football, basketball, baseball, softball, track and cross country and help these athletes get the pictures they need for free.”
Dych plans to take those skills to the University of Louisville where he will major in communications with a minor in sports administration.
After completing college, he has many dreams for the future.
“If I had the opportunity I would love to be one of the people on ESPN,” Dych said. “But I’d have to say my other one is being a photographer or videographer for a team. Being able to travel with any professional sports team, work with the athletes and produce great media.”
Dych is just one of 308 students in the AHS Class of 2023 that graduated on Friday.
Senior Class Counselor Cristy Dame said that after starting their high school career in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this class is especially grateful to graduate.
“This group of seniors have had to overcome a rocky start to high school, as they were on part virtual, part in-person classes,” Dame said. “They really seem to appreciate all of the celebrations and events that have been planned for them this year.”
That gratefulness shined through in Dych’s concluding comments about his high school career.
“Then there was no opportunity to go to any sporting events because the capacity was so limited,” Dych said. “It makes me more appreciative and allows me to realize just how much people take for granted the high school experience.”
