BHS Football Sideline Crew
pictured above: The BHS Sideline Crew (l-r): Jack Cunningham, Dave Britton, Frank Plair, Donald Gruel, David Prekop, Mike Sewell
For the Love of the Game
Local men combine for more than a century on high school football sideline crew
story by JEANNE REYNOLDS photo by JOHN WOLLWERTH
There are two ways to see stars on the sidelines of a Beaufort High School football game. One is an up-close look at great athletes who could be playing on TV on Saturdays next year and maybe Sundays in the pros after that.
The other is not getting out of the way of those players quickly enough.
“The first time you’re knocked down by some of those big boys, you see stars,” says Frank Plair. “You only have to be hit once to know to get out of the way.”
Plair has learned that painful lesson well in over two decades as part of the chain crew at Eagles’ games. So has nearly everyone else on the six-man crew responsible for helping game officials mark the ball position, current down, and distance needed for a first down. But this veteran team — boasting a combined 108 years of experience and averaging 65 years old — keeps bouncing back for more.
It’s not for the pay since they’re all volunteers. Some joined the chain crew when their own sons were on the team. But unlike many other crews who move on when their children graduate, these men have stuck around year after year.
“I like giving back and enhancing the atmosphere of the games,” says Jack Cunningham, the crew’s senior member, after 28 years of manning the chains. “The more we can add to the Friday night experience, the better.”
It’s also a front-row seat few people have the chance to enjoy, he adds. “I’m amazed at the athleticism of these kids. When you watch from down on the field as opposed to the stands, it’s a whole different perspective.”
“Their size, their speed — from the stands, it looks entirely different,” agrees Donald Gruel, a 13-year crew member who played quarterback for the team in the early ’70s, followed by his son in the same role years later. “Even the hits — when you’re down there, you really feel it.”
“Things go on down on the sidelines you have no idea happen if you’re sitting in the stands,” adds Dave Britton, who was recently recruited from BHS’s junior varsity crew to join the varsity. “I enjoy watching the passion and enthusiasm of the players, and particularly the coaches. You really can’t appreciate it unless you’re on the sidelines.”
A Unique Perspective
Part of that special perspective comes from the crew’s position on the visiting team’s sidelines, rubbing elbows with opposing coaches and players.
“I enjoy listening to the opposing coaches strategize and then change strategies as the game progresses and changes,” says Mike Sewell, a 20-year crew veteran. Playing against Summerville High School’s legendary coach John McKissick — the first football coach in history at any level to win 600 career games — was especially memorable.
“He always had a hard time at Beaufort,” Sewell says. “I remember him muttering on the sidelines, ‘We know what they’re going to run, but we can’t stop them.’ That made me feel good. Another time he walked up to one of his coaches and said, ‘You need to put another guy on that defensive end,’ and the coach said, ‘We already have three on him.’ McKissick said, ‘You need another one!’ That lets you know the team is putting everything they’ve got into the game, and it’s an honor to be on the field with those guys.”
Although Beaufort has seen many players on both sides of the field who went on to play in the NFL — Devin Taylor, Ron Parker, Dee Delany, Greg Jones, A.J. Green, Kevin Long, Keith Jennings, Stanford Jennings, Carlos Dunlap, Robert Quinn, Byron Maxwell, Bruce Ellington, Roddy White, and more — sometimes it’s the “little guys” who are most fun to watch, according to Cunningham.
“You get to see some kids who are just pure overachievers,” he says. “They’re not the biggest or the fastest, but they put out 120 percent effort. You can see who’s a leader. That’s always fun to watch.”
Wearing a Game Face
Being so close to the action can also test the crew’s professionalism. Cunningham recalls a game when his son was on the field with the rival team facing fourth and long. “The team lined up in punt formation, and then I heard the coach call for a fake. The Eagles were out of position and unsuspecting, but I had to stand there in silence and watch. You can never react to it. That’s part of the integrity of the job.”
“Even though your heart is pulling for the home team, you have to be nonvocal about it,” agrees Gruel.
That level of professionalism has led to several accolades. The crew has been recognized by the S.C. High School League as Chain Crew of the Year and has been invited to work the North-South High School All-Star game held annually in Myrtle Beach.
Not All Fun and Games
There’s much more to the crew role than fans see. Working in the rain, the Lowcountry’s infamous hordes of no-see-ums, and lightning delays that push games into the wee hours are just some of the less-pleasant parts of the job. It’s also a commitment: five or six home games each season, plus two or three more if the team advances through the playoffs. And the crew must be on-site early to meet with officials, get any special instructions, and even measure the chain to ensure it’s exactly 10 yards long.
Some of the crew roles can also be physically challenging. The team member holding the stick with the box showing the down number has to quickly get to the ball after each play and set up before the next play is snapped. That can require some hustle if teams are running an up-tempo offense, or an outright sprint on long pass or run plays. Fortunately for the BHS crew, Cunningham’s “off duty” hobbies of running, biking, and kayaking keep him up to the task.
Even the fun of the game itself can sometimes be a challenge.
“Once or possibly twice, I did get caught up in the game, and when it was time to reset the down, I didn’t move,” recalls David Prekop, the crew’s newbie with “only” eight years on board. “Apparently, my mates on the sideline were yelling at me, the opposing coaches were trying to get my attention, and there I was, standing there watching the game. Oops!”
But for those not part of the crew, just watching the game might be the best advice you’ll get for some weekend fun.
“If you’re sitting at home on a Friday night watching bad TV, go to a local high school football game instead,” Cunningham says. “You never know who you’ll see.”
What’s a Chain Crew?
The chain crew includes four people, with two alternates. Roles of the four active members are:
•Box man — Holds a large stick with a box of numbers on top to indicate first, second, third, or fourth down.
•Stick men — Two people holding sticks attached to each end of 10-yard chain. One stands where the play begins and other at the first down location.
•Clip man — Places a clip on the chain at the five-yard or 10-yard line closest to the ball. Used to ensure accurate first down measurements, especially if the sticks get knocked over during play.
Dave Britton
• Age: 66
• Years on chain crew: 17
• Current role: Chains
• Born in: Columbus, Ohio
• Beaufort resident since: 1996
• Professional career: PGA
professional and retired director
of golf at Dataw Island Club
Jack Cunningham
• Age: 67
• Years on chain crew: 28
• Current role: Box man
• Born in: Liberty Hill, South
Carolina
• Beaufort resident since: 1978
• Professional career: Merrill Lynch
financial advisor
Donald Gruel
• Age: 68
• Years on chain crew: 13
• Current role: Clip man
• Born in: Kittery, Maine
• Beaufort resident since: 1960
• Professional career: Retired
Mossy Oaks Elementary School
principal
Frank Plair
• Age: 68
• Years on chain crew: 22
• Current role: Clip man
• Born in: Tampa, Florida
• Beaufort resident since: 1954
• Professional career: Retired
moving and storage company
owner
David Prekop
• Age: 56
• Years on chain crew: 8
• Current role: Stick man
• Born in: Bedford Heights, Ohio
• Beaufort resident since: 1992
• Professional career: Equipment
manager at Secession Golf Club
Mike Sewell
• Age: 65
• Years on chain crew: 20
• Current role: Stick man
• Born at: Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina
• Beaufort resident since: 1998
• Professional career: Gas Works
Too owner
