ESTEVAN, Sask. — For nearly a decade, Estevan's Wanda Harron has played an important behind-the-scenes role for the Regina Thunder junior football team: she's been the club's photographer.
The owner of Wanda Harron Photography travels hours to and from each home game and even goes to some of the team's road contests. Her commitment to the team has allowed her to get to know its players and staff.
She was there with her camera Nov. 8 when Regina defeated B.C.'s Westshore Rebels 42-21 to win the Canadian Bowl — the national championship game for the Canadian Junior Football League. It was the Thunder's first national title since 2013.
Harron described the game as "nerve-wracking," especially when the B.C. club scored on its first possession. The game was tied 14-14 at halftime and 21-21 at one point in the fourth quarter, but the Thunder pulled away.
She said she had a "calm confidence" in this year's team, and she believes the players had the same attitude.
"Other years in the past, the big games during the year … I honestly would get nervous before games and during games. This year, I pretty much had an even-keel feeling for all the games. I never had any butterflies. I can't imagine what the players feel like," she said in an interview with SaskToday.
Harron was busy at the national title game in Langford, B.C., snapping photos of the contest and the celebration that followed. She and her husband Dave had their photos taken with the championship trophy. She was also there for the celebration in Regina once the Thunder returned to the Queen City.
"I appreciate all of the opportunities I've had in sports," she said.
Her involvement with the Thunder started in 2016 when she met Brin Werrett, who was part of the Thunder's board at the time. Harron had been one of the volunteer photographers for the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Estevan and wanted to know if she could photograph a couple of Thunder games to expand her portfolio.
"In the offseason, he contacted me and asked me to come on board in 2017," she recalled. "What they expected was to shoot the game, give them a handful of photos as soon as you could after the game for social media, and then do whatever you want with the photos but pass more onto the team."
Harron has photographed the Thunder's home games since 2017, but this year she covered every contest, including road games during the regular season and playoffs. The season took her and Dave to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., for the national semifinal and Langford for the Canadian Bowl.
The access she gets during the games is "pretty incredible," she said. Over the years, she has learned where to stand on the sidelines and is often around the Thunder's bench. She also gets to attend walk-throughs before games. On the road, she and Dave join the club for team meals.
"One parent a few years ago messaged me after a game. I think it was a league final loss against Saskatoon that year, and I take it pretty hard sometimes. This mom messaged me something to the like of 'Wanda, we know you love those kids as much as we do'. So that meant a lot to me," said Harron.
With the Thunder, she is proud to know that everyone feels appreciated and is treated the same.
Harron said she enjoys sports photography and is now focusing on spending her winters in Estevan's rinks, photographing the Estevan Bruins junior hockey team, the Estevan U18 AAA Bears and other minor hockey teams.
While she always wants good action shots, Harron said she also likes capturing moments on the sidelines, between plays and during interactions between players and coaches, which she said can make for better photos.
Harron thanked her husband Dave for his support throughout the season, as he drives her to many of the games and is always willing to help.
