While competing teams, fans and athletes cycle in and out of Bobcat Softball Stadium through the years, one person is a constant presence.

Nearly 20 years ago, Peter Vives, also known as “Photo Pete,” was looking to include more variety in his photography portfolio, specifically women’s sports. On March 11, 2007, an advertisement for a Texas State softball game caught his eye, and he decided to make the drive from San Antonio.

From that day, Vives was hooked.

“I was like, this is fun,” Vives said. “I came back for a doubleheader a week or so later and it just bit and stuck with me.”

What drew him in was the culture surrounding the program and the environment head coach Ricci Woodard created. He is grateful for the numerous “moments and memories” he’s had with the team.

VIves said during his second trip to Bobcat Softball Stadium, he was looking over the photos he took after the game when Woodard approached him. She stopped in the middle of her busy schedule to ask him if he got anything good during the game.

“It struck me. Here’s the head coach of a college softball team taking a moment to ask a person that she’d probably only seen once,” Vives said. “That kind of cemented it for me. It was mainly because Coach Woodard cares.”

Another moment was in 2024, when the team received its Sun Belt Conference championship ring. He was taking pictures of the players receiving their rings when suddenly, the public announcement called out his name to receive his very own ring.

“It stunned me,” Vives said. “That’s probably my number one memory.”

He and the athletes know each other by name, and the ladies see him as part of the Bobcat softball family.

“Pete is basically part of our family. He shows up for practices, he shows up for games, he captures moments that you know you’ll never get back in time,” Megan Kelnar, senior catcher, said. “It’s so lovely to be able to look back and see that bond we have with our teammates, and what he captures will bring us to tears sometimes.”

Every year on senior day, Vives prints out his favorite image of each senior to gift to them personally. What makes these images stand out from others, though, is the fact that they are printed in black and white.

“If you can gain someone’s attention in a black and white photo, you’ve done something really good because people always see color photos,” Vives said.

Vives said the smile he receives from an athlete when he hands them a photo is the most rewarding part of the job.

“The smile. That’s what’s most important,” Vives said. “When I hand them a photo and see that smile.”

Through his photography, he aims to bring more awareness and recognition to women’s sports, of which players say his impact goes further than the images he takes.

“He brings such a light to our team and just walks in with such a presence every day and is just grateful to be here,” Abigail Jennings, sophomore pitcher, said. “I think it just changes the perspective of how we show up every day.”

After photographing softball for close to 20 seasons, Vives said he is continuing to expand his skills and is dipping his toes into volleyball and basketball photography. He hopes to see women’s sports continue to grow and plans to keep capturing special moments for athletes for as long as he can.

“Female athletes a lot of times never get any recognition. So with my camera, I try to give them recognition,” Vives said. “But the great thing is, women’s athletics is growing astronomically. And maybe my job is almost done. But I figure I’ll keep doing this until God says, ‘No more, dude. Relax.’”