That's a wrap II

Tonight I ended my 15-year career as the public address announcer for Pickerington High School soccer, having spent 6 seasons at the now-former Pickerington High School (now called PHS Central), and the last 9 seasons as the voice of the Soccer Panthers at Pickerington North.

I have voiced both boys and girls matches in separate seasons at PHS, and in my time at North I did both squads, whichever team was at home that particular night.

It started when Dearest Kelley was but a frosh and playing on the JV team, and no one was set to announce the games. I asked at a boosters meeting if anyone ever did the JV games, and was told no. I said I would do them, which then lead to doing both JV and Varsity matches the same night. When Handsome Son began playing at PHS, I switched over to the boys team and did their matches, as Kelley had by then given up sports to cram extra courses into her Junior/Senior year so she could graduate a year early, which she did.

When Handsome Son graduated I figured my p.a. days were over, but that was the year the new school opened, and several of the moms whose daughters were transferring to the new school asked me to announce the games for the Lady Panthers. Since I ran the scoreboard and kept stats as well, I told both the boys and girls coaches I would do their home matches as long as they could find someone to do their stats at away games. I did JV and Varsity for several years before concentrating solely on the Varsity squads the past 5 years, thus saving my knees and back some wear and tear, as I needed to be standing the entire time while doing the matches.

I always knew I would know when it was time to hang up the mic, and various factors each played their part in leading me to conclude this would be my final season.

It was fun and I will miss it, but a still-growing family and all that it entails will now be more of a focus than it was.

Robert T once gave me the moniker The Voice of God for hearing me all the way over at his house when the breeze from the stadium was just right.

So after tonight TVOG is resting, having made his traditional final call, "Thank you for coming out this evening, ladies and gentlemen. Please have a safe drive home."