Today we’d like to introduce you to Addison Jarecki.
Hi Addison, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Been a bit since we last talked, Voyage! Thanks for having me back.
My career at this point has led me to sports creative – I am a photographer and social media professional. I got started in the space by working for my high school marching band. I worked for them from 2015-2021 and during that time launched social media for the group, photographed rehearsals, events, and competitions, and my passion for the industry grew from there. I jumped into sports more seriously as a photographer through an independent baseball team in Lexington, Kentucky while I was in school at the University of Kentucky. During my time in grad school at UK, I was fortunate to work with the Athletics Department as a photographer with the Baseball team in 2023, as well as the MLS One team located in Lexington, the Lexington Sporting Club. I was a media assistant and photographer for them. I stayed with them post-grad and all the way until I was offered my first full-time job at K-State Athletics in Manhattan, Kansas as the Assistant Director of Social Media and Digital Strategy. That job offered me incredible opportunities to run social, connect with teams, tell some really great stories, and travel a bit for events like Track Nationals in Eugene, OR, and Women’s March Madness (back to Lexington!) and to Spokane, Washington. I was with K-State for two years and ran eight sports. I love college sports and plan to stick with it as long as I can!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, of course not! When you want something, you have to work for it. I faced a lot of the same struggles 2020 college grads ran into, but beyond that, you learn so much when it comes to working in large organizations with different people, personalities, and different departments. There have been very high highs and incredibly low lows. I firmly believe that you take something valuable from every experience, stop along the way, and person you meet, even if it takes a while to fully understand. You also have to be prepared to move around, learn to budget properly, and advocate for yourself in your career. I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons and I’m excited for whatever’s next.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in sports; specifically college, but I have done some work for professional sports and high schools. I love telling the story of emotion through sports and catching moments that may not always been seen by a TV camera or the general public. I like to capture the pre-game moments of focus, or a quick interaction between a fan and player. I’m always watching for reactions from athletes, fans, or spirit groups, and chasing more unique angles that give the viewer a new perspective. I think what sets me apart is that I am very in tune to people’s emotions and habits; after working with a team once or twice I can follow their key plays to get reaction shots or specific plays I wanted from the first game. I also like knowing athletes’ habits so I can catch moments that may be important to them: a pregame prayer, a handshake with a friend on the opposing team, smiling at their family in the stands, etc.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Honesty. Genuine kindness. Being willing to help beyond my job description – as the phrase goes, “everyone pulls the tarp”. Your connection to others and how you treat everyone from the fans, concessions employees, and ushers to the AD, Coaches, and CEO all matter much more than people realize.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://addisonjarecki.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariley.media/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addisonjarecki/
- Twitter: https://x.com/jareckiar?s=20
