‘I should be in better shape” is what I was thinking as I lugged 35 lbs worth of camera and lighting equipment up Lionshead, a rocky mountain promontory overlooking Matanuska Glacier. Kyle Worl was likely not thinking that at all, because he is, in fact, an athlete. He was carrying the large unwieldy stand he uses to suspend the sealskin ball used in his sport, the high kick.

Men’s Health magazine had contacted me to photograph Kyle for their 50 States of Fit feature and an athlete profile. They wanted an epic background. After some back and forth, we decided on the Matanuska Glacier, which my screaming quads were rapidly coming to regret.

The weather sort of cooperated with only a light drizzle, and Kyle put on an impressive display of athleticism, high-kicking again and again to get just the right moment of action.

Here’s the finished profile piece: https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a29665717/eskimo-indian-olympics-kyle-khaayak-w-worl/.

Thanks for the workout, Kyle!