The scoreboard tells us who won. The box score tells us who scored. As a sports photographer with hundreds of games under his belt, I’ve learned the moments that matter most have nothing to do with the stats. Here’s the moments I’ve loved photographing from the sidelines.

You play ball like a girl! You throw like a girl! “Women’s sports are boring.”

For years, phrases like these echoed through playgrounds, gym classes, and stadiums, reinforcing the idea that women athletes could never compete at the same level as men. Countless little girls grew up hearing these comments used as insults — as if being compared to a female athlete was something to be ashamed of. But somewhere along the way, “playing like a girl” stopped sounding like an insult.