Fifty years ago, Steve “Gooch” Holbert dreamed of playing football for Bridgeport High School. About 40 years ago, he got that chance. From 1969 to 1971, Holbert played upback and safety for the Indians. These days, Holbert is the field voice for the Tribe, announcing home games from the press box at Wayne Jamison Field.

 

“Being a PA announcer is fun and doing that for Bridgeport has to be a lot more fun than for any other school,” he said.

 

Not only does BHS stack up a lot more wins than losses, but Holbert’s passion and personal history come into play each time he serves as “Field Voice for the Indians.”

 

For most years since his 1972 BHS graduation, Holbert has lived in Bridgeport and has followed the Indian football team – for several times all the way to a state championship.

 

Though he didn’t know it at the time, Holbert was being groomed for his current position during the late-1980s and early-1990s. During that time, he and Phil Nicewarner teamed up to bring the Indian football broadcast to area fans.

 

“We did radio for two or three seasons,” Holbert said. “We weren’t as polished and professional as the radio crew is today, but we had some good times – just a couple of good old boys talking football.”

 

At the conclusion of that gig, Holbert was asked to do the on-field announcing.

 

“I jumped on that,” he said.

 

To date, Holbert has served 22 seasons in the press box and has served as youth baseball coach for about the same period of time.

 

“I get to see these kids go up through elementary and middle school, then here they come playing high school football and I get to call their name out on Friday night,” he said. “What a pride it is to watch them play. It’s a lot of fun for me.”

 

Holbert sure knows how it feels to be a Bridgeport kid, aspiring to be part of an athletic program, around which the whole community rallies.

 

“(My family) moved here in 1962 so I’ve been watching football since then – watching and thinking that I wanted to someday play for Bridgeport,” he said.

 

He remembers watching guys like Larry Pumphrey and Eddie Golf, all the time imagining himself in the helmet and pads.

 

“I was probably about eight years old when I knew I wanted to play,” he said.

 

His brother Jim “Gig” Holbert played from 1964 to 1966.

 

“I knew all his friends so I continued watching – and thinking the same thing,” he said.

 

For the next couple of years, his sister Polly and her boyfriend Larry Steele were in the forefront of BHS football. Steele, now Holbert’s brother-in-law, was quarterback from 1965 to 1967.

 

“He broke his collar bone and they ended up going three and seven,” Holbert said. “That was the last losing season Bridgeport had in 40 some years.”

 

In 1968, his sister Polly was crowned Miss Football.

 

“That’s the same year that Bridgeport was Big 10 champs and undefeated at the same time,” Holbert said.

 

The following year was Holbert’s sophomore year.

 

“That’s when all my dreams came true and I got to play,” he said. “I was lucky as a sophomore that I got picked to return the kick-off. I was one of the deep guys.”

 

Because the upperclassmen – and the team in general – was so good, the sophomores got a lot of playing time that year, Holbert said.

 

At the onset of his junior year, he began playing upback and continued to start on defense as safety.

 

“I got my feet wet a little, then moved on to my senior year when I again played upback on offense and continued to play safety,” he said. “That’s been a long time ago now, but it’s always stuck in my mind how cool it was to play with a group of seniors that I had played with since I was a little kid. It was our turn, our time. It was a terrific group of seniors.”

 

The Indians saw 9 and 1 record that year, finishing fourth in the state. Back then, only two teams went to the state championship, so the Indians didn’t have a chance at the state title.

 

“We had a terrific team on both sides of the ball,” he said. “I think we gave up like 40 points in 10 games. We scored 370 some points.”

 

The Indians’ nine wins that year included five shut-outs – against Lewis County, Grafton, Notre Dame, Shinnston and WI high schools.

 

The 68-0 win over Lewis County is particularly memorable.

 

“That was the game that never ended,” Holbert said. “And it was the only time Coach (Wayne) Jamison ran the score up on purpose.”

 

To make a long story short, there was some taunting and some dirty play and police had to escort both teams off the field – minutes before the game was over.

 

Another memorable game from Holbert’s senior season was a win against Victory High School.

 

“You have to understand that Victory was Bridgeport back then. They were the team to beat. John Mazzie was the coach and he was the man for Jamison to beat,” he said. “The year before, they had played for the state championship. They lost but hadn’t hardly lost anyone off their team so they were looking to do big things.”

 

Leading up to the BHS-Victory game, both teams were undefeated.

 

“I don’t ever remember a bigger crowd than there was that night. There used to be a chain link fence all around the field and people were lined all around it,” Holbert said. “We were behind 7-0 at the half then came back to shut them out in the second half, winning 16-7. I’ll never forget: Jamison seemed to be floating off the ground. Sometimes you never saw him after the game. He’d just go into his office, but he was very excited after that game.”

 

Holbert said that game was a turning point for BHS football.

 

“It was like the changing of the guard,” he said. “Bridgeport became the team to beat.”

 

That game was actually a turning point in Holbert’s personal life too. That’s where he met his wife of 40 years. She was a cheerleader for Victory. They started dating and have been together since.

 

While announcing BHS football these days, Holbert said he often shoots the breeze with Jamison about the old days – and some much more recent.

 

“Aside from being my coach, Coach Jamison has been a great friend for the past 23 years,” Holbert said. “He’s a great guy, led the Indians to four state championships and in 27 years never had a losing season. He’s the one who implemented the Stick-I which has been our success over the past 40 years.”

 

Holbert has worked for Dominion Resources for the past 26 years. He and his wife Jody have two boys – Adam who lives and works in Pittsburgh and Josh, who lives and works here in Bridgeport. He is married to the former Heather Horne and they have three little boys.

 

In addition to giving a play-by-play year after year, Holbert is a true Indian fan and has all the faith in the world in their abilities.

 

“Watching them all these years I’ve always said to never underestimate the heart of a Bridgeport football player or a Bridgeport football team,” he said. “…I’ve always thought it was amazing to go so many years without a losing season. That’s hard to do even if a team recruits, but to do that for 45 years or so with kids in your hometown is phenomenal.”

 

As he does every year, he wishes the Indians the season of their dreams.

 

“Every team wants to win a state championship,” he said. “Go get it. Take it from whoever is in your way and we’ll all be here to cheer for you.”