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This sweet photo of Michael Leighton and a young fan was named AHL's Photo of the Year

Sports photography is awesome. There are a couple of avenues you can go in: the iconic sports moment, depicting a badass play; or something equally inspiring: a quieter moment as a player gets ready for a game or, in this case, as a young fan watches on in awe.

That's exactly what Todd Reicher, photographer for the Rockford IceHogs, has done with this photo. The AHL may not offer the same levels of glory the NHL does, but it's still a competitive league filled with impressive players - and it's every bit as awe-inspiring to young fans who get to go to games.