Sid Kibler Enjoyed Time As Effingham High School Basketball Announcer, Football Spotter

 Effingham High School announcer Sid Kibler retired from basketball this season. Steve Raymond photo

Sid Kibler has benn around athletics for a long time.

He played baseball and basketball growing up in Dieterich. He started dating and married an Effingham High School football coach's daughter and saw his children through sports.

Then one day, he decided he still wanted to be involved and now over 30 years later his involvement, at least for now, has come to a close.

Kibler was the spotter for the Effingham football team and was the announcer at the basketball games. He retired from the football job at the end of the 2022 season and just recently said goodbye as the announcer at basketball games.

"I got involved in football at EHS back around 1991 or 1992," said Kibler. "Scott Mosher got involved and he and I have been buddies for a long time. I had moved back to town with my wife and family in 1989 and I was basically working here. I think he asked me if I wanted to be the spotter.

"A spotter stays down on the field and goes up and down on the sidelines watching the players. I would talk with Scott, who was the announcer, on a hand-held walkie-talkie and tell him who got the tackle or who was carrying the ball. He would then relay that information over the P.A. system to the crowd. It was hard for him way up in the booth to see who tackled or carried the ball.

"Of course on a really muddy night, after it had rained, it got difficult ot tell what the numbers were on the players.

"When I was dating my wife, I was on the chain gang ."

Kibler graduated from Dieterich High School where he played baseball and basketball.

"They of course, didn't have football," said Kibler. "I've always loved football. Then I started dating the football coach's daughter and I got on the chain gang."

Kibler's wife Kay is the daughter of long-time EHS football coach Jack Klosterman.

"I've been around Effingham football since the mid-70's," said Kibler. "I never played but I watched it."

Kibler, of course, then got interested when his children came through the Effingham school system.

"I got to know a lot of the kids, especially my oldest son Brian's friends. I got to know their parents and his buddies and went to EHS basketball games.

"One day I was at a game, when Russ Marvel was the principal in the old Cracker Box gym. I think one day I just went up and asked him if I could announce basketball and he jumped on it. The first year or two I just did the starting lineups. Then after the kids graduated, I just thought I'd add to it and I started calling the fouls, who made the basket and things of that nature.

"I asked them if they could put me a table up on the stage at the old high school and they agreed. I did that for three or four years at the old school and then in 2000 when the new school opened, I started announcing there."

Kibler has had some exciting times in football.

"My father-in-law had retired as football coach well before I started spotting with Scott," said Kibler. "We almost came within a whisker of winning a state semifinal game on the new field. It was really a sloppy game and we missed a field goal attempt. But I've heard a lot of interesting conversions along the sideines and a lot of interesting language. I've seen a lot of calls that should have been made and a lot that shouldn't have been made.

"In basketball I've seen a lot of good players such as Meyers Leonard, who went to play in the NBA. I used to see a lot of good ones at the Christmas tournaments."

Asked about a funny moment in basketball, Kibler said, "As the P.A. guy you are sitting at the scorers table. The converations you hear between coaches, players and referees are quite entertaining. One night about 15 years ago we were playing Charleston. They had a pretty good team and we were okay. We had nine fouls to one for Charleston. I can honestly say with that microphone in my hand that I never said any cuss words and I tried my darndest to cover that mike up with my hands when I talked. If I was chatting with the scorekeper, I covered it up so we couldn't be hard.

"But ths particular game, Andy Pullen was refereeing and I was sitting there and he called another foul on Effingham. I swear I did not say a word or gesture with my hands. I had my hand over my mouth and he came over to me and he said, 'you do that one more time and you're out of here.' I thought to myself, 'how did you even know what I was thinking. That told me he knew exactly what was going on and what I was thinking. There was no way he should have been able to decipher what was in my mind.

"Other than that, I've been very calm. Every once in a while I'd yell or scream if they made a good play or sunk a last second basket to win.

"Basketball I basically learned it and tried to add my own little flare to it. In football I learned on the fly. With football, the main thing is to try and not get run over by the players."

Kibler has been a CPA since the mid-80's. He has worked for the Kemper CPA group in Effingham for 43-44 years.

"Obviously this time of year is our busy season with taxes until April 15," said Kibler. "But even during the middle of the tax season, when the heat was on, I'd head to the high school for a game.

"I got to counting them up, regular season games and post-season tournaments and every now and then the Christmas tournament that's really expanded," said Kibler. "I've done a lot of ballgames. I've hard several people tell me they would do the games if I needed a break but I always felt obligated to do them.

The routine was pretty much the same between me and Mr. Woltman. He'd get the lineups from the coaches and it's a matter of making sure the batteries were in the microphone and doing the National Anthem. Then, of course, I had to make sure I pronounced the opposing players' names right. I didn't want those mothers to hollar at me. I would ask the opposing coach's scorekeeper. I'm sure I got a few over the years wrong but I tried not to."

Kibler said he has seen between 450 and 500 basketball games.

"First of all I appreciate Sid's professionalism," said EHS Activities Director Dave Woltman. "He gave people the information they needed and created an atmosphere that was positive for our school. When we started the Christmas Tournament, he was willing to announce all the games which was three full days of contests."

"I told Mr. Woltman three of four years ago that I would hang onto the basketball position until he left. I held myself to that. The new athletic director will be able to find a new P.A. guy for basketball and football.

"I knew it was time because we have a couple of granddaughters that I know are going to be playing sports in college," said Kibler. "I know we will be traveling more for those games and now with Mr. Woltman retiring, it's a good time to say goodbye. I didn't mind doing it and I've enjoyed it a lot."

"I appreciate that he was dedicated and super-reliable over the years as our basketball announcer and he helped in football," said Woltman. "His service to the school goes unmatched."