Jake Peck: Capturing the Spirit of Jenks Football
By: Natalie Eaton
It is safe to say that Jenks had an incredible football season this year. With the pandemic affecting many sports, Jenks Football pulled through and won a state championship title. But, the season would not have been as special as it was without Jake Peck, a videographer and senior at Jenks High School.
Peck filmed videos this season for Jenks Football at their games, capturing the spirit and vibe of the players, students, and coaches on the field. His videos have reached thousands of views on his Instagram, and have grown popular amongst students at JHS and the football players.
His journey with filming began with football, but the time leading up to it was not easy.
Peck is a huge outdoorsman, which motivated him to pick up the camera in the first place. To be able to start his passion, Peck knew he had to find a line of work that would pay him enough to fund his camera equipment. So, he started a job at a commercial mowing company.
“At the time I was just like every broke high school student with a dream,” says Peck. I knew it was going to be a horrible experience, but that I would grind it out and reap the reward later on down the road when I would have the financial freedom to pursue film.”
Peck called the mowing job one of the hardest experiences he has ever been through, but has since called it a “great learning experience.”
“Character development is the best way to describe it,” says Peck. “After getting my gear, the only thing stopping me from succeeding in filming was myself, and the rest was history.”
After purchasing his camera, Peck wanted to start getting into media. Jenks Football players, Stephen Kitterman and Griffin Forbes knew Peck’s aspirations and offered him a job to film for the football team.
“I really did not know what I was getting myself into,” Peck jokes. “It started off in a student council meeting where I was to get a shot of the student section. I was like, if I am going to put my name on something, it's just my personality, I am going to give it 110%. My first video for the football team got really good feedback, and I just went from there.”
Filming the football team, especially during playoff games like Owasso, is something Peck will never forget. The intensity, drive, and motivation of the game were described by Peck as “just something else.”
“I have made a lot of really cool connections, and the sideline intensity is super cool,” says Peck. “It is kinda hard to get that vibe up in the student section, but when you are down on the field and can look the guys in the eyes and see what they're thinking and try to document it, that makes it a super cool experience.”
With senior year ending soon, and football season over, Peck is starting to branch out more into what he wants to do with his videography career. Before football became an opportunity for Peck, fishing and hunting were Peck’s life and passion. With a huge background in the outdoors since he was little, and his father working in the outdoor industry, Peck is starting to go back to his old roots from when he was a freshman.
When Peck first came to the Jenks High School, he wanted to start a Jenks fishing team with his buddies.
“I am a huge go-getter, if I put my mind to something the only thing that can stop me is myself, says Peck.” I went and talked to the Vice Principal, Mr. Grey, and we got a phone call and got everything figured out.”
The success of his fishing team was astounding. Peck and his friend Garrison Snedden, competed at fishing tournaments at Grand Lake and qualified for the national and world championships. Eventually, the duo went to Alabama and fished at the Bass Federation’s 2019 High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship Dual.
With a super impressive background, Peck is hoping to use his experiences from football and outdoors to his advantage and step back from Jenks moving forward. Right now, Peck has opportunities in the works, but prefers to keep them on the down-low because not everything is “set in stone yet.”
However, Peck was able to share exciting job opportunities that are for certain, as well as some considerations for next year that he is looking forward to.
“In 2021, I am doing some work for a company called Carhartt, and potentially the Oklahoma Sooners and some other outdoor companies, Peck says." I’m trying to do as many opportunities as I can to try to get exposure and experience before I commit to either athletics or the outdoor industry.”
Peck currently works for a fishing company called Quantum and is filming basketball videos for a company called Prep Hoops.
To see more of Jake Peck and his video work, check out his Instagram here.