The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
MAN BEHIND THE VOICE
Sports announcer plays pivotal role at football games
EDITOR’S NOTE
Friday nights in the fall are a big deal for high schools as football players and coaches take the field under the bright lights. But the games are also an exciting time for others and this is one in a series profiling some of them.
There is one person who everyone at Riverside High School football games can hear, but rarely can see.
The man behind the legendary voice is longtime teacher Ed Humes. After graduating from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1988, he began teaching at Riverside Schools and has been the sports announcer at the high school for 26 years.
“In 1992 the (athletic director) at the time, Don Canell, was looking for someone to announce girls basketball games and since I had put my announcing experience on my resume he asked me,” Humes said. “I said yes and started that fall and have been doing it ever since. I started announcing because I enjoy seeing the kids I teach competing and I know they enjoy the recognition, especially the kids playing (junior varsity).”
Humes is not limited to just announcing football games.
“Over time I took on more jobs, to where the last 18 years I have announced all the varsity and
JV football games, all the boys and girls varsity soccer games and all the boys and girls JV and varsity soccer games, which comes out to about 68 games a year,” he said.
Overall, he has done over 1,500 games.
No formal training was needed, he said.
Humes just has a strong interest and understanding of sports. While in high school, he played baseball. In fact, Humes played against Urban Meyer, who is now the head football coach at Ohio State University.
While people only hear Humes voice during the games, he explains that it is a true team effort in the press box.
“It was my sophomore year and he was a senior at Ashtabula St. John,” he said.
However, Humes mainly received on-the-job experience.
“While at college I worked as a sideline reporter for the campus radio station’s football broadcasts for one season,” he said.
Humes said the main duties of an announcer are talking to the coaches before games to get lineups and name pronunciations, announcing the action, reading the messages from sponsors and support groups and making any special announcements that are necessary.
“Before games, I always talk to coaches to get lineups and the pronunciations of the names,” he said. “This is an important moment for the players, so I work hard to make sure I have everyone’s name right. All the coaches I’ve dealt with have been great, very cooperative.”
While people only hear Humes voice during the games, he explains that it is a true team effort in the press box.
He works with a spotter, statistician and scoreboard operator to gather information.
While Humes has many great memories being an announcer over the years, one of his favorite moments was at a Riverside versus Chardon football game in 2005.
“We won the game 10-7 on a last second 42-yard field goal, our only field goal of the year and the students stormed the field.” he said.