9/17/21 - Friday Forget-Me-Nots by Jim Silcott

Photo Caption: Mrs. Miller explaining new Physed game to 4th Grade.

Dear Our Lady of Peace Family:

In early 2020 I picked up a new hobby- ushering at the Columbus Crew games. The first game I worked was in early March. Then came COVID and, after one game, I was laid off for four months.

In late summer of 2020 the Crew game back to Mapre Stadium and played before small crowds and I got my job back. It was a fun time to usher because the Crew went all the way in postseason and took home the Championship. I was selected to work with a retired music teacher, also named Jim, up in the Suite boxes.

In July of this year, the new Crew Stadium, Lower.com Stadium, opened up downtown just west of Clipper Stadium. I am working with Jim once again in the Suite area. The Suites, are to turn a phrase, really, really sweet. They are like little apartments sitting above the pitch with two rows of seats in front of the indoor section. The view from the suites is amazing and the food catered into them by the stadium look equally amazing.

However, I only get up to the actual Suite level at the end of the night where I help Jim to close the giant accordian windows in each room. Most of my time is spent greeting premium seat customers at their own entrance on the west side and making sure they have the right ticket to gain access. I don’t really get to see much of the game from that spot unless I peek at the television monitor over the elevators.

Just before half-time I am moved to the lobby entrance facing the field. I don’t get to see to much of the game from that vantage point either but I can watch the giant screen over the field and hear the enthusiastic soccer crowds as they boo and cheer.

I do work a lot of hours in my job serving as your principal. Why in the world would I want to take on this added time commitment to my schedule? For one, unlike baseball and even football there are not that many home games and they tend to get really spaced out. Second, I enjoy meeting people. When I stand outside the west lobby door I run into present and former students and parents and all sorts of friends and acquaitances.

My son, Braden, played high school soccer. He is big fan and goes to all of the games. He is the one who introduced me to the sport and I really enjoy the 90 minutes of pretty much non-stop action. There is not much scoring but the many attempts at the goal make the match exciting. Braden goes to the games and many times brings his son, Charlie, who at the age of 4 is a big fan. It is a great way to connect with them.

Even though I get a meagre stipend for my work I really do call it a hobby. My wife said to me last year, “if you wanted another job you could work at Aldi’s and make more money.” I told her that if they started playing soccer inside of Aldi’s I might consider it. I don’t do it for the money at all. I find that I really like people and I like engaging with them in a non-school setting where I am really just a glorified doorman. I get to smile and say hello and tell them to enjoy the match. Win or lose (more losing than winning this year) I get to thank them for coming and wish them good night and a safe journey home. That’s it. No pressing issues, no real decisions to make. Even though I am on my feet the entire time I find it relaxing and oddly energizing. I’m tired at the end of the event, but it’s a good tired. 

I think we all need things in our lives that we do for just plain fun sometimes. I hope that, like Jim and many of my fellow ushers, I can work the games long after I stop being a principal! Many of my colleagues also work the Blue Jacket and Ohio State football and even Clipper baseball. Maybe in my next career I will become a professional usher.

If you get to a Crew game come and say hello. And if you are lucky enough to get invited to a Suite, go there on an empty stomach because you’ll eat really well!

Jim Silcott