If you've attended a football game at Carson High School in the last half century, you should know Bob Tresnit.
Tresnit, except for the first game of the 2010 season when he had family vacation plans and part of the 1984 season when he had part of his right leg amputated, has been a mainstay on the visitors' sideline.
The 75-year-old Tresnit has been a member of the CHS chain crew gang for home football games the past 48 years. Tresnit's devotion to the team and community won him the Milan Tresnit Award and a spot in the CHS Football Hall of Fame. Tresnit was honored for his work with the football team as well as outstanding community service.
Tresnit and four former players were honored Saturday night at the team's annual kickoff dinner.
"Bob is one of those unsung heroes of the community," said former CHS coach and current CHS athletic director Bob Bateman. "He's always there helping out.
"When I was head coach, I gave him a big plaque for what was then 30 years. He's always there. He's just an amazing person."
The honoree, who grew up in Moscow, Idaho, started on the chain crew when he was 27 years old.
"They needed somebody," Tresnit said. "Harold Wright was on the chain gang and he asked me if I wanted to do it. I'm not as fast as I was. In the last couple of years I had a prosthesis (installed). I'm not as fast as I used to be.
"I've worked under nine head coaches, and I've seen a lot of fathers and sons go through Carson. There was Chris and Connor Beattie and Paul Sinnott and Mark Sinnott. There are a bunch more, too many to name."
It's a job he loves. You don't do something for 48 years if you don't love it. His crewmates include Nipper Wright, Scott Foltz and Maury Tresnit. Bob Tresnit estimates that Nipper Wright has been doing chains for 30 years, while the others have been around for at least 20 years.
"I enjoy the Friday night lights," Tresnit said. "I've gotten to know Mike Rippee pretty well and Joe Sellers (former Wooster coach)."
Tresnit never got to experience Friday night lights personally.
"I played very little," he said. "I broke my right leg when I was 10 years old. I probably had 15 or 16 surgeries between the ages of 10 and 47.
One Carson High game sticks out in Tresnit's mind. He remembers an early 1980s victory over Reno.
"We hadn't beaten them for a few years," Tresnit said. "Woody Healey (a 2011 inductee, too) had a great ballgame.
"A lot of people came to the Victory Club (sits where the Horseshoe Club is now). People were there singing 'Happy Days Are Here Again.'"
Tresnit said he doesn't have a favorite coach of the nine he worked for, but he's been impressed with Carson's resurgence the last couple of years.
"They (the nine coaches) are all great guys and all have worked very hard," Tresnit said. "They have all been likable guys. I've known all the coaches (past and present) pretty well and not just on the football field.
"Blair (Roman) has made the program successful the last couple of years. He's building a strong program. The last couple of years Carson has done very well."
When I asked Tresnit to give me a list of the 10 best players he'd ever seen, he politely declined.
"I wouldn't want to hurt anybody's feelings." he said. "It's kind of hard to remember everybody. I saw a lot of good players come through here over the years. I can tell you that (Dylan) Sawyers would be up there somewhere. So many guys out there of all-star caliber."
