ELMORE, Ohio — With the high school football regular season winding down, a lot of teams had their last home game. That included Woodmore High School, whose public address announcer completed his 46th year announcing games for the Wildcats.
Dave Robenstine has been announcing Woodmore football games for a long time, but he'll tell you there are lots of other volunteers who make the gameday experience possible.
"I'm just a small part of this whole package that is a big night of Friday night football," Robenstine said.
Since September 1977, there have been a lot of changes.
"When I started we had a five-man press box that leaked water," Robenstine said. "I stood in the water about an inch deep one night. I was afraid, wasn't quite sure how all the electrical stuff was going to work."
Robenstine has seen a lot of football in the last 46 years. He's announced more than 200 games in the press box, only missing a few for family events. In addition to football, he also announces the Wildcats basketball games. He's hoping to make it an even 50 years and he doesn't think he'll stop there.
"I want to continue to do it as long as it's fun and as long as the administration supports my efforts," Robenstine said. "50 would be a great number. That's the next step in this whole thing. Hopefully, conflicts and health don't get in the way of that. That's what I'm trying for."
What keeps him coming back to the press box year after year? The people, he said.
"That's what's cool about this is the relationships that you cross paths with," Robenstine said. "I had a neighbor who can hear the announcements, who lives right around here. He said to me the other day ‘I knew it was fall because I heard you announcing over the PA system the other night so it’s gotta be fall.’ That's the kind of thing that keeps you going."