It's now that time of the year where sporting event after sporting event goes into the post-season. Having a few sporting events going on during any given day along with a constant need to populate the front page with news and features made planning ahead vital. The Herald's photo editor Evan and I often had to work odd shifts that felt a bit a la carte in terms of picking and choosing what stories we could realistically cover with so much happening at once. Figuring out how to keep momentum throughout the month and also optimizing the newsroom's editorial output during the lulls was a challenge.

Speaking of flexibility, I spent much of my February photographing talented athletes. Along with the wrestling, swimming, basketball and drill team high school state tournaments, I also had a chance to meet and photograph accomplished dancer (at only 17-years old) Jaxon Willard for my most recent Monday Close-Up. His story makes up the first seven images of this blog post, and more of it can be seen here: provodh.com/s512x

Non-sports assignments were few and far between this month. However, the few feature assignments I did get were wonderful. My favorite of them was the "Senior Prom" held at The Seville retirement community. Why? Let's just say an 84-year-old lady named Chrissie really, really wanted me to dance with me, and her persistence may have resulted in me ending my shift dancing with her to Dirty Dancing's "Time of my Life". (For the record, my girlfriend was just as tickled by the whole scenario as I was – Oh the things you can get into on assignment)

Jaxon Willard does an exercise with other dancers during a dance class held Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019, at Pointe Academy in Highland. “He danced from the time he could walk, when he was a year-and-a-half old,” said Jaxon's mother, Cindy Willard. “Movement is his thing.”

Jaxon Willard jokes around between Addie Brems, 15, left, and Brightyn Brems, 13, both of Lehi, during a dance class held Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019, at Pointe Academy in Highland. “There’s always way more girls than guys,” Jaxon said of competitions and the dance world in general. “A lot of guys is like 30-50 dancers, and a lot of girls is like 3,000."

American Fork junior Jaxon Willard laughs as he talks with junior Alexis Brynes during an art class Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at American Fork High School. “He would get out of school at 2:15, go to dance at 3 until 10, Monday through Friday," said Jaxon's mother, Cindy Willard, of his past routine. Recently, Jaxon has been spending more time with his studies and less on the dance floor to help strike a productive balance.

From left, American Fork juniors Ali Vickers, Jaxon Willard, Megan Taylor, Morgan Nicholson and Sierra Hall head out from American Fork High School for lunch Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. Despite dance taking a bit of a backseat to studying, Jaxon still keeps on his feet and has several gigs coming up including an event that a former president will attend, a dance-off hosted by a band with Utah roots that has earned three platinum records, and even two gigs outside of the United States.

Jaxon Willard stretches and gets "into his zone" before performing at the reception for his sister's wedding Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Castle Park Weddings and Events Venue in Lindon. 

Jaxon Willard performs a dance he choreographed during the reception for his sister's wedding Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Castle Park Weddings and Events Venue in Lindon. Jaxon strives to make audiences feel as he does by channeling his emotions into often slow, dramatic sequences. Jaxon feels, “If your goal is to have other people feel something, you can’t expect people to feel something that you haven’t felt yourself."

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Gordon Miner hugs his son, American Leadership Academy's Rhett Miner, after Rhett defeated Juab's Conner Ingram in the 126-pound weight class during the UHSAA 3A State Wrestling Championships held Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

American Fork center Isaac Johnson (33) dunks the ball during a fast break in a quarterfinal game between the American Fork Cavemen and the Copper Hills Grizzlies in the UHSAA 6A Boys Basketball State Tournament held Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Olympus forward Jackson Frank (20) falls over Timpanogos guard Trey Anderson (5) after they both went for a rebound during a quarterfinal game between the Timpanogos Timberwolves and the Olympus Titans in the UHSAA 5A Boys Basketball State Tournament held Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Wasatch's Ashlyn Hicken competes in the women's 500-yard freestyle during the UHSAA 5A State Swimming Championships held Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Brigham Young University's Richards Building pool in Provo.

American Leadership Academy's Rhett Miner celebrates after defeating Juab's Conner Ingram in the 126-pound weight class during the UHSAA 3A State Wrestling Championships held Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Wasatch guard Kymbee Baird (12) watches as a play unfolds late in the fourth quarter during the quarterfinals of the UHSAA 5A Girls Basketball State Tournament in a game between the Wasatch Wasps and the Box Elder Bees held Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville.

Layton's Gage Howard holds down Westlake's Calvin Bishop as they wrestle in the 132-pound weight class during a preliminary match in the 6A division of the UHSAA State Wrestling Tournament held Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

Timpanogos guard Colin Christensen (1) walks off the court with his teammates after the Timberwolves fell to the Olympus Titans 62-42 in a quarterfinal game during the UHSAA 5A Boys Basketball State Tournament held Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Members of the Maple Mountain Dance Drill Team count off after performing during the UHSAA 5A State Drill Team Championships held Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at the UCCU Center in Orem.

East guard Margarita Satini (2) recovers the ball after losing control of it as Provo guard Charlee Barker (10) looms near her during the quarterfinals of the UHSAA 5A Girls Basketball State Tournament in a game between the Provo Bulldogs and the East Leopards held Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville.

Spanish Fork head coach Alyssa Larsen reacts after an official's call during an inter-region game between the Spanish Fork Dons and the Dixie Flyers in the first round of the UHSAA 4A Girls Basketball State Tournament held Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at Spanish Fork High School.

Spanish Fork's Brenda Jensen competes as the third leg in the men's 200-yard medley relay during the UHSAA 4A State Swimming Championships held Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Brigham Young University's Richards Building pool in Provo.

Pleasant Grove players and fans celebrate after defeating the American Fork Cavemen on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at Pleasant Grove High School.

The Wasatch women's swim team, including head coach Shawn Marsing, jump into the pool in celebration after winning the women's overall team championship in the UHSAA 5A State Swimming Championships held Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Brigham Young University's Richards Building pool in Provo.

Greg Kelsey, center, and Wayne Gifford, both with the Utah Department of Public Safety's Dive Team, help fellow DPS divers Josh White and Colby Vanderbeek into the water during ice-diving exercises held Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at Deer Creek State Park in Provo Canyon. The exercises were a collaboration between the Utah Department of Public Safety's Dive Team and California's Riverside County Sheriff's Office meant to share training practices, how different agencies approach different scenarios and get some divers ice certified. “It’s a very inhospitable environment," said Jeff Nigbur, a captain with the Utah Highway Patrol. "The more we can practice this, the better off we are in the long run when it’s really happening.”

A volunteer with the Utah County Crisis Line poses for a portrait Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at the Daily Herald in Provo. Because all volunteers at the crisis line are anonymous, this volunteer's face is obscured to protect her identity.

Brigham Young University freshman Fatwa Luka performs with the rest of Pretty Hurts during a celebration of Black History Month held Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, at the Wilkinson Student Center on the campus of BYU in Provo.

Chrissie Malarkey, 87, dances with Brigham Young University student Brandon Passey during a "Senior Prom" held by the Lumen Scholar Institute on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, at The Seville retirement community in Orem.

Vern and Amy Hart, a couple of 34 years, dance together during a "Senior Prom" held by the Lumen Scholar Institute on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, at The Seville retirement community in Orem.