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The Summerfield football team’s timekeeper has been on the job for 44 years

The Summerfield football team’s timekeeper has been on the job for 44 years

Steve Seegert never played football.

During his high school years at Summerfield, baseball was his only sport.

But Seegert has seen more football games than most people in Petersburg.

The 70-year-old has been closely associated with the school’s football team for nearly five decades, including running the clock for middle school, junior varsity and varsity games for the past 44 seasons.

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“I love it,” he said. “I love the way high school football is. It’s not like college or the pros. High school football is all about pure people, pure kids.”

No matter how good or bad the team performs this season, Seegert enjoys his job.

“I just love being there,” he said.

His love for football began after graduating from Summerfield in 1972.

“I really wasn’t interested in football back then,” he said of his high school days. “As I got older, I regretted not playing.”

A few years after graduating, he became interested in football when his younger brother played for the Bulldogs. Soon he was volunteering to help at games.

“Four years before (he started running the clock), I ran the chain gang,” Seegert said. “Then in 1980 (former coach) Leroy Wood came to us and said they were putting in a new scoreboard. He wanted to know if any of us wanted to try it.

“No one else was interested, so I said I would give it a try.”

Since then, Seegert has ensured that the Bulldog games take place on time.

He was able to watch his two sons — Matthew, a 2014 graduate who now lives in Denver, and Ryan, a 2017 graduate who lives in Dundee — play for Summerfield.

In recent years, Ryan has served alongside him in the press box as the Summerfield announcer.

“He loves it,” Seegert said. “A lot of people call him ‘The Voice of the Bulldogs’.”

Steve Seegert’s job is more anonymous.

Most of the time no one notices the watch operator. On the rare occasions that he makes a mistake, Seegert catches Flack.

“Hell, yes,” he said, laughing. “Even the coaches upstairs (in the press box) yell at me sometimes. I just say, ‘Hey, I’m sorry.’ I’m trying my best.'”

Seegert can recall only being able to run out the clock on the home field for a Summerfield State playoff game six times during his tenure.

“The first time was in 2010 when Erik Johnson was the coach,” he said. “Hopefully we can do it this year. That would be the first in a long time.”

Summerfield is all but assured of a playoff spot after winning the Tri-County Conference championship this season. The final two weeks of the season will determine whether or not they get a home game.

Seegert believes Summerfield’s field is a great place for playoff contention.

“It stands on its own,” he said. “It’s the only place I know that doesn’t have a school. It’s just the football field in itself. It’s kind of unique.”

Seegert also runs the scoreboard at Summerfield baseball games, but that job is much easier.

“There is no clock,” he said. “All I have to do is make sure the score is right. I can watch the game longer.”

Seegert appreciates being part of the Summerfield football tradition.

“I watched a lot of fathers play, now I watch their sons,” he said. “If I stay long enough, maybe I’ll see her grandchildren.”

Seegert doesn’t plan on giving up his job anytime soon.

“I’ll do it as long as my eyes last,” he said. “I just love the games.”