By Darlene Bowers
“Stand up, Ada fans, and join us in cheering on our Bulldogs as the Ada High School Marching Band plays the fight song for our team!”
Do these words stir you to jump up out of your seat and applaud as the team takes the field, the cheerleaders leap into synchronized action, the color guard waves their bulldog flags, and the band fills the stadium with that familiar, heart pounding beat that proclaims another football Friday night in Ada, Ohio?
That strong, enthusiastic voice pounding in your eardrums, making your senses come alive and rising to inspire and encourage all the fans to their feet belongs to Dave Smittle, public address announcer for the Ada High School Marching Band.
“People should always worry about giving me a microphone,” quips Dave. Dave has been handling the PA announcing duties since 2010 when he took over from Dave Lusk.
“I try to be enthusiastic,” he exclaims. Dave Smittle shares that enthusiasm through the scripts he writes for his pregame and halftime duties. However, he has a solitary goal in mind.
“I want to emphasize the accomplishments of the kids. They work hard, and I try to include that in the scripts.” Interspersed into the scripts, fans will often hear of the latest marching band competition achievements or an upcoming event that the band will be traveling to or even hear the details of a fundraiser or other function that the Ada Music Boosters are sponsoring.
Dave works to ensure the interplay between the scripts and actions of the band on the field is cohesive.
“I touch base with Jonathan Lischak (band director) before games to be sure we’re still on the same page,” Dave says.
He then shares a close call at Delphos Jefferson recently when a last-minute change of halftime performance plans could have thrown him off his game. But savvy Dave is always prepared and keeps previous scripts and extra information at his fingertips for such occurrences.
Aside from emphasizing the accomplishments of the students and keeping the scripts in line with the field action, Dave says he really wants people to NOT just sit in their seats.
Dave wants to motivate the fans to make the games more fun by generating an environment that is highly supportive of the team, the cheerleaders, and the band. “Stand up, Ada fans!”
The voice booms and resonates encouragement.
Motivate, encourage, support, recognize… all part of Dave’s motto. That smooth, strong voice now rises in advocacy of another group providing a vital piece of football Friday night by carrying these words to the crowd,
“Ada is a proud community, we live in a country like no other... please stand as Ada Boy Scout Troop 124 presents the colors in the west end zone.”
As the band plays, the uniformed scouts steady their salutes against their foreheads and tilt upward to watch the flag rise into the night sky.
That image is an indelible part of the night and Dave’s duties as he watches it all take place from the press box. However,
Dave will tell you that the vantage point from the press box or being behind the microphone isn’t the best part of this volunteer job for him. It is in traveling with the band. Dave, often accompanied by wife, Kim, loves seeing the excitement that the kids exhibit on a job well done.
Dave isn’t the helicopter parent hovering over and micromanaging, but it’s easy to see he takes pride in traveling with the band and being their advocate in every way he can.
A native of Westerville, Ohio, and a Westerville South High School Marching Band saxophone player himself, Dave came to Ada to attend Ohio Northern University where he obtained a BSBA degree in Management and Marketing.
Dave met his wife, Kim, at ONU and after a short time with Huntington National Bank in Cleveland and Columbus, Dave returned to Ada to work at ONU in 1987.
Dave is currently Director of Advancement Services for ONU where he manages the background operations and computer database for alumni, fundraising and communications and marketing.
He’s been with the university for nearly 30 years, and Kim has been a teacher for 30 years with 17 of those years at Ada Elementary.
The couple have three children; Doug is a graphic designer in Florida, Ellen is a graduate student in drama therapy at New York University, and Evan is a junior trumpet player for the Ada marching band and show choir member.
Dave is instrumental in the Ada Music Boosters organization and has served as the organization’s president, is currently serving as treasurer, and plays a large and vital role in the planning, marketing and implementation of the annual Music
Feast Show Choir Competition held in Ada in early November. Fifteen visiting choirs as well as the Ada Varsity Singers show choir will perform during Music Feast held on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Again, Dave has motivating, encouraging, recognizing, and supporting on his mind…he invites the community to support the Ada Varsity Singers.
“Even if you can’t come for the rest of the Music Feast competition,” Dave encourages, “the community can come at 4:30 p.m. to see Ada’s exhibition performance. Anyone arriving just to see the Ada Varsity Singers can attend for free.”
“I have one year left,” cautions Dave who plans to step away from the microphone when Evan graduates. Surely this is Dave’s way of encouraging someone out there to start thinking about taking over the reins with the passion that Dave holds for his work as the public address announcer for the band.
Whoever this may be will have a great role model to follow and need a big batch of enthusiasm and a strong voice to start practicing Dave’s closing tag line with gusto and sheer joy on a football Friday night in Ada, Ohio… “LET’S GO DOGS!”
