Behind The Lens with Our Official Photographer

Throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic postponement of the BBL season, both here on our website and in our “Eagles Nest-In” series of video interviews and game replays, we hope to shine a spotlight on some of the off-court Eagles squad of volunteers.

We call them our ‘Wings Team’ as each of them have played their part in helping us fly to new heights over our history and everyone at the Eagles is very grateful for everything that all of them do to support the whole organisation.

There would be no history to look back on if it wasn’t for the records we’ve kept and central to those archives are the thousands of photographs capture at our games, events and photoshoots over the years.

So, for the first of this series of posts about our amazing volunteers, we asked our official photographer Dave Moore to select the ‘final-12’ of his favourite snaps in his time behind the lens for the club and tell us a little about how he got involved.

Dave Moore has never been photographed with any of the Eagles teams, so sent us this as next best thing.

“It was the pre-season of 1995-96, my son won tickets to a game when the Newcastle Comets team visited his primary school, we saw a friendly at Gateshead Leisure Centre”, Dave told us.

“That was the year the club moved to the Newcastle Arena, before being renamed the Eagles 12-months later.

“We attended all games that season, leading us to buying season tickets for ‘the arena years’ after that.

“I started taking pictures around the year 2000, but with pre-digital kit and poor lighting in the arena, they were not great shots and I was taking them mainly for the players.

“It was in 2010 that I started helping out more officially for the club as back-up photographer after the club’s move to Sport Central.

“Around that time, maybe a year later, I was asked if I would like to photograph the Northumbria University Men’s and Women’s teams.

“Prior to the start of the 2012 season Paul Blake [Newcastle Eagles Managing Director] asked me if I would be interested in becoming the club’s official photographer, and the rest is history.

“I loved this shot when I noticed it in my editing. It looks like Orlan Jackman is carrying the player who tried to stop him and heading to dunk him, along with the ball.”

“Drew Lasker between spells with the Eagles playing for Guildford Heat on Friday 27 April 2012. I loved the hand on his former and unknown to him at this time, future head coach. Fab still signed him.”

“Kadiri Richard for our Eagles vs Cheshire Jets on Friday 11 February 2011. This photo was the first to capture a player with their foot above the rim and he looks like he’s flying. It was one of the middle shots in a 5 or 6 frame burst.”

“Darius Defoe and Joe Chapman celebrating in style after winning the BBL Trophy on Friday 23 March 2012 – I love the excitement they show.”

“This was pre-game vs London Lions on Valentines Day 2014. Fab is hugging his mother who had flown over from the US to see him play for the first time as a professional, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.”

“I could photograph Zarko Jukic all game – offence and defence. He brought so much in only one season. This is a typical dunk of his, this time against Leeds Force, on Friday 23 March 2018.”

“This was taken at the last home game before coronavirus lockdown vs Worcester Wolves, but to be fair it could be any game with Rahmon Fletcher playing for us. It’s what I see as ‘trademark Fletch’. Put it this way, if the BBL had a NBA-style logo, a silhouette of this would be his version of Michael Jordan. (So I’ve registered this in case anyone decides to use it!)”

“The ‘OOTA’ celebrating after winning the BBL Play-Offs Final in 2015 against London Lions. This one I like because so many of the fans have been long time supporters, through thick and thin.”

“Fletch against Paul Sturgis on Friday 17 April 2015 as our Eagles took on Cheshire Phoenix. It’s just the difference in size between the two players, with Stu Thomson at around 6’6″ in the background. It just goes to show that if you’re good enough, you’re tall enough.”

“Jeremy Smith slamming the basket against Surrey Scorchers on Friday 19 October 2018. I remember seeing it coming and thinking to myself ‘don’t cheer or you’ll miss the photo’.”

“Fab Flournoy scoring against the Sheffield Sharks on Friday 5 May 2019. Little did I, or anyone else realise it would be one of my last photos of him. End of an era.”

“At our supporters end of season party on Monday 11 May 2015, Rahmon Fletcher celebrated the ‘clean sweep’ to everyone’s delight.”

Dave still photographs the women’s team today, which has since become our Newcastle Eagles WBBL franchise, who also call the Eagles Community Arena ‘home’.

It is thanks to Dave that much of the foundation’s activity is captured and also many of our Academy’s NBL and Junior NBL games too, as well as virtually anything else we ask him to shoot from player headshots to many of our team photos through the years.

“Some people ask why I volunteer for the Eagles, well I love sport and photography so I get to do the best of both worlds”, Dave added.

“I started because I felt that these athletes, many of which in the other amateur sports teams I also photograph, deserved to see pictures of themselves doing what they love, as they may only do it for a short time.

“Being part of the Eagles family and the ‘Wings Team’ is great, through this I have made so many new friends – be they pro players, other fans, young players or their parents and other volunteers.

“I took early retirement in 2010 and this keeps me active and mentally engaged, although sometimes I think I’m busier than before I retired.”

Interested in joining the ‘Wings Team’ to support the club and foundation as a volunteer? Email [email protected] for more information and to register your interest.

(Cover photo credit: Susan Gibson-Cummings)