P’ville ‘Superfans’ a Big Boost to District’s Athletic Programs
Pleasantville Athletic Director John Bauerlein sits in his office at the beginning of summer reflecting on another year of school sports, and he can’t help but marvel at the support his department receives throughout the seasons.
While the list of community volunteers who make the program successful is extensive, the Pleasantville spirit is embodied in three residents who are still involved, in a couple of cases long after their children have graduated from the district.
Sam Young and Rich Hartman man the first-down chains on the sidelines during varsity football games. Then there is superfan Lew McKinney, who in his early 90s still attends as many Pleasantville sporting events as possible.
Hartman, who saw his youngest son graduate from the high school last month, and Young have attended Pleasantville sporting events for years. In Hartman’s case, he showed up well before his oldest son ever stepped on a playing field.
For Young, this fall will mark his 55th season holding the sideline chains. McKinney, who had his own children go through the the district, also has been going to games for decades.
While Young has attended plenty of New York Giants games and other sporting events at every level, he said nothing tops Pleasantville football on a Friday night, ever since he went to his first Panthers football game as a child.
True sports are played for the purpose, not only the enjoyment and the recreation, but for your school, your family, your girlfriend, your mother, your father, so (there’s) never any money involved,” Young said.
After numerous seasons in the stands, Young wanted to get closer to the action. He is one member of the “chain gang” for home and some road football games, the crew that carries the 10-yard-long markers along the sidelines that help the players and officials determine how much yardage is needed for a first down. His partner for the past seven years has been Hartman, and they plan on continuing in the upcoming 2013 season.
For Bauerlein, it helps to have two guys that he can trust be there consistently. With all the work that goes into prepping for a home football game at Parkway Field, it alleviates some of the stress on Bauerlein by having two reliable community members on the chain gang.
“You’ll see at a lot of football games an (athletic director) looking up in the stands, going ‘Can we get three guys to do the chains,’” Bauerlein said. “I’m fortunate that I have people for the chains. They are genuine, all-around fans for Pleasantville.”
Young also assists with the football team’s summer camp and Hartman organizes the annual team community service project. Last fall, the football team helped clean up debris at Breezy Point after Hurricane Sandy.
McKinney has been a fixture on the Pleasantville athletic scene since his son played about 40 years ago. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the more popular sports such as football or basketball or some of the lower-profile events, McKinney always has his green Pleasantville cap on and is cheering in the stands.
“If there’s a game going on here, he’s here pretty much,” Bauerlein said.
Hartman said he met McKinney at a game about 12 years ago, but recognized him well before that. The students also take to McKinney.
Hartman said the older players will talk to their younger teammates about the legacy of Pleasantville athletics and McKinney is someone that they always mention.
“He’s kind of like a good luck charm,” he said.
