On any given Saturday, while most fans are focused on the scoreboard, Cathryn Jones is on the sidelines chasing a different kind of victory. With a camera in hand and an eye for moments that matter, she’s capturing the grit, passion and joy of the game. But Jones’ story goes far beyond sports photography. She is a creator in every sense – photographer, entrepreneur and founder of Sideline Sportswear, a clothing brand born from her love of sports, media and fashion.
Jones’s path wasn’t always clear. Growing up in Danville, Kentucky, she describes herself as “artsy and sporty,” the daughter of a graphic designer who also happened to be a talented baseball player.
“I had a passion for art, which was a gift I got from my dad,” Jones said.
Sports were a constant, too, from softball fields to the sidelines where she now thrives.
By the time she was a senior in high school, Jones had already taken a step toward sports media by launching her school’s athletic Instagram page, “Big Rebel Nation News.” She didn’t know then that it was foreshadowing her future. When she arrived at Campbellsville University in 2017, she chose to major in business because it seemed like a safe foundation. She also played softball, worked shifts in the campus spirit shop, and started discovering that her interests in sports and creativity were naturally blending.
Her interest in photography wasn’t fully sparked until 2020, when she and her brother went to Los Angeles to visit their sister. Wanting a way to document the trip, Jones bought her first camera. An Olympus caught her eye simply because it looked retro. That small decision set her on the path to her future. As she took more trips, she upgraded her gear and taught herself how to take photos, adjust settings and edit. Each step she took pulled her further into her passion.
Her first true sports photography experience came in the fall of 2020, at a Campbellsville University football game. It wasn’t just the action that drew her in, it was the energy, the emotion on players’ faces and the excitement on the sidelines.
“One of my favorite things is to take photos on the sidelines at football games, that’s my thing,” Jones said.
After graduating from Campbellsville University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in business, a chance connection changed everything. Leslie Davis, who worked in Campbellsville’s administration office, had noticed her knack for content creation and reached out about a TikTok campaign, inquiring her help. That one invitation led to a Graduate Assistant (GA) position in marketing and social media with the university, a role that eventually grew into her current position as Social Media Manager for Campbellsville University.
The GA position gave her confidence and opportunities, but Jones’s creative spirit couldn’t be contained to just one job. At the same time, she was building something of her own. Having always been a lover of fashion, Jones began searching for clothing designed for people like her, creators that work in sports who spent their lives on the sidelines. When she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she decided to make it herself.
“I wanted something cool to wear on the sidelines,” Jones said. “I started searching for a brand specifically for creators who work in sports, and then I thought—wait, I can just do that. Instead of me trying to find a brand that fit me, I’ll just make the brand.”
With that realization, Sideline Sportswear was born. From the comfort of her own home, she mocked up shirt designs, researched different shirt qualities and where to get them. She bought a Cricut smart cutting machine and started testing her designs by heat pressing them. Her time working in the Campbellsville University Spirit Shop, a clothing store once located near Finley Stadium before it closed, gave her valuable insight into what sells and hands-on experience in creating the kind of apparel she envisioned. Paired with her photography skills, she had the perfect tools to market her own designs. The brand name came naturally to her.
“Oh, I want clothing for the sideline—Sideline Sportswear. From the beginning, that’s what I wanted to call it,” Jones said.
The brand has since grown beyond just creators.
“When I was thinking about the name, I was like sideline makes so much more sense—not only is it people who work from the sideline, it’s people who watch from the sidelines. Anyone who’s a part of the sidelines can wear it,” Jones said.
In the middle of building a business and establishing herself as a photographer, Jones found herself at one of the biggest stages in sports: the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. She went as part of a CU sports management class trip, tasked with documenting the experience for social media. She reached out to a public relations contact ahead of time and asked if she needed a credentials pass. Reaching out paid off more than she could’ve imagined at the time.
“When I got there, they gave me a wristband that let me go anywhere,” Jones said.
She got the opportunity to get up close and photograph the Lombardi Trophy, a sterling silver trophy, about 22 inches tall and 7 pounds, awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL) championship game. She also snapped behind-the-scenes shots from the VIP section and stood close to the stage for some of the biggest moments of the night.
“That whole experience—not only from a photography standpoint but from a marketing standpoint, too—is an experience I’ll never forget,” Jones said.
For Jones, faith ties all these pieces together.
“The first thing God did was create. If God created and we are made in his image, then we are also called to create,” Jones said.
Whether it’s a shirt design tied to Hebrews 12, or travel photography that highlights the beauty of God’s creation, she sees her creativity as a gift she’s called to use for His glory.
“I’m one of those people that are like, God created people and God created football,” Jones said.
Her friendships have also fueled her journey, including one that began over coffee and creativity. Kate Hartlage, assistant director of Residence Life at Campbellsville University, has known Jones for several years and has played a key role in encouraging her creative growth.
“Cathryn and I met at Harden Coffee at a Vineyard Church college group that my husband and I were helping lead years ago,” said Hartlage. “We did initially bond over our shared love of creativity. I had shared some of the creative projects I had been involved in and felt passionate about and she asked if I could be a creative mentor for her. So, what started as me offering support and encouragement in her creative journey turned into a friendship that I can’t imagine my life without.”
Hartlage has since watched Jones’s creativity and confidence flourish, describing her as someone who pours her heart into every project she takes on. She admires Jones’s ability to see beyond the surface and to turn ordinary moments into something meaningful and felt.
“Cathryn is a visionary who brings ideas to life with passion and energy. She is also a loyal friend who inspires me and everyone around her,” Hartlage said.
Jones still has big goals for the future. Her biggest bucket list item includes shooting an NFL game from the sidelines. When it comes to her career, her dream is to one day work in Division I or professional sports media and marketing. As for her clothing brand, Sideline Sportswear, she calls it her “passion project,” something she loves too much to stop, no matter its size.
“I would love if it got big but it’s something that I love to do so much that I’m okay with it being small,” Jones said.
The advice she offers to students sounds simple, but it’s rooted in her own struggles and experiences of figuring things out along the way.
“Don’t give up on it,” Jones said. “The biggest thing I learned is just ask. The worst someone can say is no. Don’t be afraid to start small, everybody has to start somewhere.”
