The woman behind the lens

Dec. 15—In 2007, Meg Barker traveled to the UNI-Dome to watch her son Nate play for the Lenox Tigers in the state football playoffs. Nate wasn't the best player on the team. He wasn't even a starter. But that day, Nate caught a touchdown pass in what would be his last game as a Tiger.

But there are no pictures.

"I hate that," Meg said. "I hate that there are no pictures."

Since that moment 15 years ago, Meg has worked to ensure that's something Lenox athletes and parents don't have to experience.

When her second son, Drew, was a senior, Meg began taking pictures of him and her oldest daughter Katie competing in track meets.

As Drew graduated and her youngest daughter Sydney began competing in high school sports for Lenox, Meg began taking more photos.

"When both girls were playing together, it got to the point where I knew there were parents that didn't have a good camera, so I started taking pictures of their friends and everyone on the team," Meg said. "I didn't just take pictures of starters — I tried to get everyone."

In 2013, she transitioned to photographing sports her daughters didn't compete in, boys basketball and football were two she began.

Meg had a plan for when she would stop taking photos of Tiger athletes. "When (Sydney) was graduating, there were two kids a year behind her and they were studs," Meg said. "They changed girls sports in Lenox. They were so outstanding in every sport — especially track."

Katie Dukes (now Giles) and Rory Arevalo made it to state track every year even though Lenox didn't even have a standard track at the time. The girls were running on the street.

Meg said she used to have Dukes and Arevalo over to her house before games and meets. "They were my babies," she said. "Their mothers asked me if I would keep taking pictures of them, and I said of course — they're my babies."

That was her plan. Take photos until Dukes and Arevalo graduated, and then hang up her camera. But life had other plans.

"That fall of 2014, I went to church one Sunday and saw Jared Hensley and Dawson Tullberg," Meg recalled. "Jared turned around and said I just want to thank you for all the pictures you take of us. I really appreciate it. Dawson turned and said yeah, we love those pictures."

During track season, Meg got to know Tullberg and Hensley better. "Yeah, I want to follow these kids," she said. "Then I just got to know kids. There was always somebody that I'd get especially close to. Lots of times it was whole classes."

There was always a reason for Meg to keep going.

"Spencer Brown's class, they would tell me, I think Spencer and probably Carson Cline, they were telling me they can't wait until Monday mornings to see their notifications light up," she said. "The kids were just so great that it was fun. And their parents were always appreciative."

Now an offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills, Meg always knew Brown was a special athlete.

In 2015, it became official. The athletes of multiple sports came together to present Meg with a custom t-shirt that read "Official Tiger Photographer."

The Good

Over the last 15 years, Meg has witnessed amazing athletic feats, camaraderie and sportsmanship. While she said there are countless moments she will never forget, a few came to mind right away.

When her daughter Katie was a senior, Dukes and Arevalo were freshmen. Together, they competed in the sprint medley relay. "That was our first time at state in over 10 years for girls track," Meg said. "Those two were the reason we got to state."

Meg said she can't count how many times the two girls broke the school record for the relay. "Their senior year, Katie edged out a girl and won their heat and they finished third overall," she said. "It was one of those moments. It was so special for me."

In the 2014 district final for baseball, Meg captured a photo that remains one of her favorites to pop up in her Facebook memories every year. "Two plays in the district final that Dustin Gordon had," she said. "He was an all-state catcher that year."

The first play was when Dustyn Rauch, playing outfield, made a catch in left field and threw the runner out at home to Gordon. The second was when Gordon was up to bat.

"The score was tied in extra innings. Gordon stole second, they had a bad throw out to the outfield, so he goes to third and beats the throw home," Meg recounted. "The picture was a big cloud of dust. Caleb Lange is in the background jumping up with this big grin on his face and Bryan Wood, he was assistant coach, and he was just jumping."

While Brown is now known for his football skills, Meg's memory of him was during basketball his senior year. "It was the Stanton game," she said. "He had over 40 points and over 40 rebounds. That was one I won't ever forget."

In more recent years, the 2022 shuttle hurdle relay team comprised of Conner Fitzgerald, Gabe Funk, Johnathan Weaver and Trenton Beck winning the state title was an incredible moment for her to witness.

"Coach Bonde had them set goals at the beginning of the season. Their goal was not to get to state — their goal was to win state. I thought, oh that's kind of an impressive goal to make," she said. "I thought it would be neck and neck with our team and Belle Plaine. It wasn't close at all. He (Weaver) just flew."

Additionally, she said watching the Lenox football team advance to the state semi-finals this fall was amazing.

Funk, a member of both the shuttle hurdle relay and the football team, said Meg is an amazing woman. "She's one of our biggest fans," he said. "Looking at those pictures gets you ready for the next game. She was always there for us."

The Bad

Not every game features a game-winning play or even a victory. There have been times where Meg has felt her heart breaking as she watched athletes' dreams slip away.

In 2021, the girls softball team competed in the regional final for a chance to advance to state.

"We played Wayne. Tyra Stoaks and McKinna Hogan, I think they were the only two seniors," Meg said. "Tyra was an all-state pitcher every year. McKinna was an outstanding outfielder, and they just couldn't get over the hump to get to state. We really thought this was their year to do it. I got some pictures of them hugging each other after, and it broke my heart."

The boys baseball loss in 2018 also sticks out to her. "It was in Lenox and after the loss, those senior boys went out and just walked around the outfield one more time. Our first baseman was just sobbing in the dugout and that broke my heart too. That group put everything into it and worked so hard and were devastated it was over," she said. "That's always the way —those last losses."

The most heartbreaking moment she's experienced in her years of taking athletic photos was Jared Hensley's senior year of wrestling in 2017. Previously, Hensley had placed fourth, third and fifth at the state wrestling tournaments. "After a controversial district semifinal loss, Jared Hensley, with coach Derek Weller, could only sit and wait after his third-place win to see if he'd get the chance to wrestle back and qualify for the 2017 state tournament," Meg said. "That chance never came. The mood in that gym was mostly downcast as the realization hit that he would not be wrestling at the state tournament his senior year."

The Future

Once again, Meg has a plan for her future, but she knows anything could happen.

When Dawson Evans was in elementary school, he always looked at Meg's photos. His mom told Meg that he had asked her if Meg would still be taking pictures when he got into high school. That day, Meg committed to be there for him someday.

Now, Evans is a freshman in high school. "It will be 2026 when he graduates," she said. "I'll get through that, and we'll see. There's always more kids — always something I want to see."

Spending time with her grandkids and writing a book on her family's history has forced Meg to take a step back from being as active as she once was, but she said as long as she sees good sportsmanship and continues having fun taking pictures, she'll keep doing it.

One thing is for certain, she couldn't do it without the support of her husband, Todd.

"My husband has been amazing," she said. "I don't like driving at night. I know my limitations, and he would drive me. For district wrestling I'd have to leave in the morning, and I'm not a morning person. He doesn't like wrestling, but he'd drive me to wrestling."

One of her neighbors, Lenox senior Samson Adams said Meg is an all-around amazing person. "She's almost part of the team," he said. "She's part of the community."