Red Powerades, “Beware of the Wood” programs, CDs, and KHS and University City football rosters litter the announcing booth desk. Tony Wicker sits at left, feeding yardage and downs to the scoreboard, slightly removed from the others. Roberta McWoods is in the middle, scrolling through a list of preset cheers and scoreboard messages. On the right is BJ Kenyon, watching the Pioneers’ 48-7 rout from a television-like perspective, fluidly referring to the rosters to call out tackles and rushes over the Public Address system. A dim light glows over each; the Friday night lights seeping through the panoramic windows are enough to see clearly. Late in the third quarter, as the quintessential sounds of high school football, the banter of the students, the parents, the cheerleaders and the band leak into the booth, a Pioneer ballcarrier sees an opening, and Lyons Field echoes… “There’s number 15, the Rocket Man, Blake Goddard, 32 yards for a touchdown!”
For anyone who has attended a KHS football game, it might be easy to overlook the fact that the proclamation “Here come your Kirkwood Pioneers” comes from a live human being and not a computer programmed voice in the stadium speakers.
BJ Kenyon, social studies teacher, has held the position of the Kirkwood Pioneers’ football announcer since the Jeremy Maclin era, 2006 KHS graduate, beginning as a scoreboard operator.
“[Being the scoreboard operator] made me keep track of the downs and yardage, so I was always paying attention to the sideline, and that kind of prepared me for being the announcer,” Kenyon said.
Though he has a pre-game script prepared by Athletics Director Cory Nesslage, Kenyon adds his own flare to his calls.
“He definitely brings a lot of enthusiasm and humor,” Jordan Bishop, senior and varsity quarterback, said. “He has called Clyde Benson ‘Clyde the Glide.’ Everyone gets a laugh.”
Although not frequently praised for the work he does in the booth, Kenyon’s coworkers see the importance of his job.
“Announcers do a lot to connect the crowd to the action on the field, and to keep people apprised of events during the game,” Matt Irvin, varsity football head coach, said. “[Kenyon] is basically the town crier in a game setting.”
Irvin said Kenyon’s performance is top-shelf.
“[Kenyon] has a good balance and an appropriate spirit for the position,” Irvin said. “Sometimes in a high school setting, you see [announcers] going a little over the top. Mr. Kenyon is very pro-Kirkwood and he has a spirited approach, but not in a way that is discourteous or disrespectful to an opposing team.”
It is this connection to the players and the crowd that Kenyon values most.
“The impact I would like to have is to get all the fans excited about what’s going on. If it’s third down, short yardage for the opposing team, hopefully I can add a little excitement and get the crowd going up off their feet,” Kenyon said.
Kenyon recalls some of the frequent scoring plays he has called in his tenure.
“It’s an awesome feeling, you’re really excited for the kid who made that incredible play, whether it was Mike McHugh (2012 KHS) snatching a 30 or 40-yard touchdown, Ramon Alton (senior and starting running back) breaking through the middle, or Jeremy Maclin running back a kick,” Kenyon said.
Kenyon feels KHS football’s record of 59-16 since 2006 is another reason why he enjoys announcing.
“The team has been blessed to have been so good over the last 10 years. There have been very few games I’ve had to announce where we weren’t on the winning end,” Kenyon said.
Despite the multitude of Pioneer victories, no single football game stands out to Kenyon.
“The memories I have are mostly of individual kids doing some amazing things,” Kenyon said. “There have been three athletic directors in my time, and they have all been gracious enough to allow me the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the athletes we have had. We have definitely had some pretty good ones over the years.”
