He glances through the wet, foggy press box window on a recent Friday night, searching for green and gold. His right leg shakes in anticipation. Within seconds, the man with the familiar voice watches St. Vincent-St. Mary football players and staff start to run out on their home field. He takes a short breath and moves a microphone closer to his face. “And now, on this homecoming night, let’s welcome your Fighting Irish!”On Fridays during the fall, Gary Johnson’s voice echoes through Green Street Stadium and pumps energy into the crowd — inspiring cheers and applause for a homecoming game played in cold, rainy conditions.Johnson, the school’s public address announcer at football games, soaks in all of the touchdowns, touchbacks and tackles from his familiar perch in the stadium’s press box. Using the same measured, jovial tone he has lent the team for nearly three decades, he reports each play to the eager audience below and beyond. Johnson, 79, admits that a lot has changed since his first game in the 1990s — including his retirement from a civil engineering job, graying hair and a dozen grandkids. He still loves to announce.Gary Johnson, St. Vincent-St. Mary’s public address announcer, poses for a portrait outside Green Street Stadium, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Credit: (Matthew Brown / Signal Akron)“I think the game has changed. They’ve sped up,” he said. “But it’s still a lot of fun doing games where kids are excelling and the crowds are big.”Even the football players, who tune out most noise from the crowd, listen for Johnson’s voice as it floats through the stadium.“You can tell that he enjoys it and tries to add an extra element of fun to the game,” said senior linebacker Logan Henderson.Surrounded by game rosters and audio equipment, Gary Johnson, the public service announcer at St. Vincent-St. Mary home football games, glances at the field before the Fighting Irish host Elyria Catholic on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.Friday nights at Green Street Stadium: Passion and communityJohnson started announcing in 1990 at a girls’ basketball game. The following season, he announced several boys’ basketball games. Within a few years, he was announcing games for 11 of St. Vincent-St. Mary’s athletic teams.Varsity football quickly topped his list of sports.Each game, Johnson is joined in the press box by two spotters — St. Vincent-St. Mary graduates and fellow fans Jim Hillery and Marty Shaffer. They trio is also friends. Now that their tailgating days are behind them, they find their Friday night tasks a meaningful way to contribute to the sport.“[Football] is a passion,” Hillery said. “And It doesn’t matter what age you are, whether you’re in your 70s or in your 40s. You’re a part of this community.”Gary Johnson, center, Brendan Hall, right, and David Graham, left, chat before a St. Vincent-St. Mary football game at Green Street Stadium, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Credit: (Matthew Brown / Signal Akron)The community alone drives Johnson each season. He works on a volunteer basis, never having accepted a cent from the school. “That’s another thing that makes him an awesome individual,” said athletic director Kyle Sasala. “He wants to do all this just to help out and support us.”Johnson has briefly served as president of the athletic booster club. And in 2019, he was inducted into the school’s Athletic Booster Club Hall of Fame. “St. Vincent-St Mary is such a warming, family-oriented environment,” he said. “I want to do things the right way, and I want to put [the school] in a positive light.”Johnson also strives to find balance. He takes pride in not being a “homer” announcer and recognizing the achievements of opposing players.He wants to ensure they too know they’re welcome at Green Street Stadium. Because when it comes down to it, it’s just kids competing against kids. Trying to do their best.Gary Johnson, St. Vincent-St. Mary’s PA announcer, climbs the bleachers to the press box at Green Street Stadium, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Credit: (Matthew Brown / Signal Akron)St-.Vincent-St. Mary athletic director: ‘Gary makes the game’Johnson has Friday night preparation down to a science. He begins several days in advance by contacting coaching staffs, reviewing rosters and examining starting lineups. To keep himself organized, he often draws up his own player sheets and practices each name until it’s flawless. Pronunciation is his top priority, since the last thing he wants to do is upset a parent or family friend.Johnson has found that one of the perks of announcing is a prime view of the sport, and he’s seen all levels of play — from CYO youth football to Lebron James’ tenure at the school. He’s worked the microphone for STVM games at Green Street Stadium, Infocision Stadium and the James Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron.Along the way, Johnson’s passion and characteristic announcing style have made him a staple of both St. Vincent-St. Mary games and the larger high school football community. He doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon — in fact, his fans won’t allow it.The last time he tried to retire, sitting out part of one season, athletic staff begged him to return.“Gary makes the game,” Sasala said. “Without Gary, our school, our community and our games wouldn’t be the same.”Johnson is still enjoying Friday nights. “Maybe as I get older, I’ll start slowing down, but right now, it’s still a lot of fun,” he said. “It occupies my time, because I’m doing a lot of pregame preparation. That keeps me pretty sharp.”The post At Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary, his booming voice echoes at Green Street Stadium appeared first on Signal Akron.