Behind the headset
An insider’s view of the press box
Yutan football coaches talk through headsets. They use these headsets to communicate to the coach’s box about plays.
“The tackles are pinching!” “They are in a 5 front with 8 or 9 in the box!” These are just a couple of the many phrases someone might hear while up in the game-ready pressbox, and multiple staff members, coaches and other community workers work together to help create this lesser-known part of Friday night lights.
The press box is located at the top of the bleachers at the football field and is separated into two parts: the coach’s box and the press box. The coach’s box consists of two coaches who communicate with other coaches on the field through headsets, along with stat and film recorders.
Head football coach Dan Krajicek explained how the coach’s box gives the team a better chance at stopping their opponent’s offense or dodging their defense.
“They can help me when I’m calling plays, to know what plays might be working, and then they help me when I’m calling the defense,” said Krajicek.
The two assistant coaches in the box for Yutan are Nate Jones and Coach Krajicek’s dad, Joe Krajicek.
“One of us watches for more of the tactical side (X’s and O’s/scheme) while the other watches more for operational items like counting numbers, penalties, spotting of the ball, down and distance,” said Jones.
Joe Krajicek added that what they watch for depends on who the team is playing.
“I normally ask the coaches what they want me to look for at the beginning of a game,” Joe Krajicek said.
Even though these coaches can see everything from their vantage point, they have to be careful to maintain their focus.
“It is a little bit more business-like in the box. We still get excited over big plays, but we don’t get too tied up into the emotional side of the game since we have to be focused on the next play. Games are usually anywhere between 100 and 150 plays, so it requires a certain level of focus for all of them to be a coach in the box instead of turning into a spectator,” said Jones.
Sitting to the right of the coaches in the coach’s box are Dan Krajicek’s wife and mother, Amy Krajicek and Jeanne Krajicek, who record film and stats for the team.
“They are very helpful because they help take film for us to review after every game,” Dan Krajicek said.
Across from the coach’s box is the press box. At the far end of the pressbox are coaches from the opposing team. Their crew does the same routine of film and stats for the opposing team.
The rest of the pressbox workers announce, run the scoreboard and keep track of stats. This team typically consists of community member Kevin Rogers, parent Tom Edwards, Yutan teacher Mathew Gunter and announcer Pat Petersen.
Petersen said that announcing requires certain skills.
“I feel the most important skill [for announcing is] to have the knowledge of the game of football,” Petersen said.
Even with his knowledge, he couldn’t get this job done alone.
“I am only the voice the crowd and players hear. If it wasn’t for my supporting cast of Kevin Rogers, Tom Edwards and Mr. Gunter, who knows what it would be like,” said Petersen.
Petersen said that having a team help him is very beneficial. Looking for the players’ numbers after a great play or correctly pronouncing an opponent’s last name are some things that require multiple pairs of eyes and ears.
“Before the game, [we] always check with each team’s coaches and ask for any name in question,” said Petersen. “Players and especially parents love to hear their name said over the mic, but when pronounced incorrectly it is almost insulting.”
Despite some challenges up in the press box, there are also lots of perks to watching the game from another view.
“Watching kids grow not only on the field but off the field is such a tribute to the coaches at Yutan High School. When you’re sitting up in the press box and 40 football players are singing the school fight song to the fans and the press box staff, that’s a perk as far as I’m concerned!” said Petersen.
Even though most people may not know what happens inside, Dan Krajicek said that the coach’s box along with the pressbox gives him a new angle on the game for the best possible outcome.
“They are an indispensable part of the coaching staff,” Krajicek said.
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Kylie Krajicek is a junior and in her third year of journalism. She enjoys action and sports photography. Outside journalism, Kylie is involved in...
