SPORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey: Roger Parsons is awarded John Geyer honor

At Huron football games, Roger and Pat Parsons are a lot easier to find than head coach Mike Kosiara. Being huge football fans, they can usually be found sitting in the same place for every game. That would be on the top row of the bleachers in front of the press box. For basketball games, they?re always at the top row of the bleachers, on the opposite side of the team benches. For baseball, it?s behind home plate. Softball, it?s under the flag pole. Familiar places for familiar faces to Huron athletic sporting events.

For his unwavering support and dedication to RCHS sports, Parsons received the John Geyer Award at last Friday?s Huron Sports Booster All-Sports Awards Night. Parsons doesn?t usually attend award ceremonies, but was talked into coming by Kosiara. He told Roger a ?white lie? that there would be a slide show and that ?he really should attend.? There hasn?t been a slide show in a few years. Roger?s brother, Leonard, also was told to make sure Roger was there. ?He did not know anything about it,? said Pat Parsons. ?He was very surprised.?

THE COUPLE, who share a mutual love of sports, have been married for nearly 55 years. He was born and raised in Rogers City and met Pat when she came to work at RCHS as a physical education teacher for 21 years. Roger owned and operated ?Parsons Signs,? and eventually moved the business to Alpena, where the couple raised their family. Their children graduated from Alpena High School. While living in Alpena, they followed the teams of the Wildcat sports program, much the way they have followed Rogers City. They moved back to Rogers City a decade-and-a-half ago and have become institutions at sporting events. ?We really enjoy the games,? said Parsons, who interestingly enough did not miss the baseball slugfest Tuesday between Rogers City and Alpena. It has been a long time since Roger and Pat had a family member to root for on the court or field, but they still keep coming out.

ATTENDING GAMES, basketball in particular, has also become a family gathering place for Roger and his two brothers, Leo and Leonar

d. They all sit on that top row because they can lean against the wall. Maybe the athletic department should rename that back row of the bleachers ?Parsons? Perch.? Roger said the most memorable game he has attended during the last decade-and-a-half was a playoff football game in Marquette against Iron Mountain when Cory Hess kicked the field goalto win the game. I quizzed him about the key play that made the kick possible. ?There was an interception,? said Parsons. ?Who made it?? That was a bit fuzzy. It was Zeke Streich. Roger did remember that Iron Mountain was driving for a touchdown when the pick occurred.

The John Geyer Award is given annually to a volunteer/supporter of RCHS sports. Parsons was described as a person who embodies Huron athletics. ?He loves sports,? said school board member Tim Horn, the award presenter. ?He loves the people of the community.? A deserving honor for a very likeable person.