I have received numerous doubtful looks when I tell people I played sports throughout my childhood and into high school. Throughout my collegiate years, I’ve lost the athletic build I once had as a post player-turned outside/right side hitter, and now, nobody believes me when I tell the story that once upon a time, I was an athlete. A pretty good one, at that.

In light of this, it should come as no surprise that I enjoy shooting sports, and Sunday, I had the opportunity to photograph the Southern Miss volleyball team.

Volleyball, I’ve learned, is a complicated sport to shoot. It’s unpredictable in high school, when most teams scramble to simply return the serve or hit, but it’s calculated in college. While the game still partially unpredictable, you have more leeway in shooting because you have the general idea that the team will follow the pass-set-hit sequence to get the ball over the net. And, as someone who played the sport, I have a good idea of what is happening.

These girls didn’t disappoint, and I came out of the day with some pretty good images.

Southern Miss setter Kelsea Seymour (17) sets the ball during the Southern Miss-Rice match Sunday afternoon at the Reed Green Coliseum. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Southern Miss players celebrate after a kill during the Southern Miss-Rice match Sunday afternoon at the Reed Green Coliseum. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

More images can be found on the Hattiesburg American Web site here.

What did you do Sunday afternoon?

When I arrived at work yesterday afternoon, I had one assignment: marching band practice at Southern Miss. As someone who never played in the marching band, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, other than lots of music and possibly some marching.

I unknowingly arrived 45 minutes early, so I sat on an old bench and chatted with a few of the band members as we waited.

I always find the questions people ask me amusing because, more often than not, they think I’m a kid working for the student newspaper. (And I am totally OK with looking young as long as I continue to age slowly and gracefully and be confused for a 30-year-old at 40. Or something like that.) Did I ever play in the marching band? No, but I played the violin. Did I go to school at USM? No, I was an LSU Tiger. How in the world did I move to Hattiesburg after living in Baton Rouge? I got a job. And so on.

The sunshine came out of the clouds right before 3:30, and the band director made a quip about how it was practice time because of that. And then the music began, color guard girls commenced their practice, and so did the baton twirlers.

I was impressed by the sound and skill of everyone, and I spent nearly 45 minutes documenting their practice. I headed back to the office when dark clouds covered the sun and threatened me staying dry.

The following is one of my favorite images of the day:

Alisha Hogan and other members of the color guard perform a routine Thursday afternoon during the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band practice at the University of Southern Mississippi. The marching band, which has been in existence since 1920, has 260 members and will be marching in next year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

More images can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here.

Happy Friday, y’all!