A great high school football experience starts with the game. The memories often include everything around it. All of our coverage-area schools and athletic departments offer a welcoming setting — and we are thankful that we’re invited to cover them.
It’s the voice on the public address system. The energy before a third-down snap. The smell of hot dogs drifting into the press box. The people who make a visiting reporter, photographer or broadcaster feel welcome.
Across our coverage area, those details give Friday nights their personality. From impressive new facilities to a grass field with an old-school feel, here are five of our favorite high school football media experiences — presented in no particular order and polled by The Report Ohio’s personnel:
New Miami: Friday night, stripped to its essentials
At New Miami, the smell of hot dogs rises from the concession stand into the press box above it.
Wooden telephone poles hold the Mara Field lights. Behind the visitors’ side, a wall of trees basically fades into darkness while absorbing the glow of the playing field.
There is grass under the players’ cleats and little interest in dressing the experience up as something it is not. That simplicity is the appeal.
Butler County’s remaining grass football field provides a fitting setting for the small-school experience. Small rosters and the intimate atmosphere give this Division VII stop a character all its own.
Athletic director Eric Hayes and clock operator Susan Howard are among the familiar faces who help make the experience memorable.
New Miami offers something that cannot be installed alongside a video board or built into a larger press box — and that’s nostalgia.
Grass, a game under the lights and the horn of a nearby train. Oh, the media is handed hot dogs and Mountain Dew without demand. Sometimes, that is everything a Friday night needs.
Fairfield: Turning up the energy
Third down at Fairfield Alumni Stadium demands your attention.
The public address announcer, hype music and crowd combine to create an electric atmosphere — giving the Indians a home setting that comes alive when their defense needs a stop.
That energy is the highlight, but Fairfield delivers on the practical details, too. The stadium is easy to reach and relatively easy to leave, an appreciated combination when the final whistle sends everyone toward the exits.
A spacious press box provides plenty of room to work, the food earns high marks and the overall setup makes Fairfield an enjoyable place to broadcast or cover a game.
Some stadiums have a good atmosphere. Fairfield knows how to turn it up.
Ross: A barn, a feast and plenty of character
The press box is a barn. That alone earns Ross a place in the conversation.
Few facilities capture their community’s personality quite like this one. Even with the addition of artificial turf, a Friday night at Ross still feels unmistakably like Ross.
The surface change at Robinson Field adjusted how the famous “cow dump” fundraiser operates, but the stadium has retained its rural character and welcoming atmosphere.
Then there is the food.
The catering spread goes beyond standard press box fare — with pasta dishes and other offerings that make arriving hungry an ultimate strategy.
The combination of a lively crowd, distinctive setting and exceptional hospitality makes Ross a memorable stop. The barn press box is the first thing media might mention. Dinner could be the second.
Badin: A new home with an established personality
Badin’s new stadium — the Matandy SportsPlex — already feels like Badin. That’s because it’s on “The Hill.”
The newest facility in the coverage area has given Rams fans a home of their own, complete with an elevated playing surface, sweeping views of the City of Hamilton and enough personality to distinguish it from a generic new stadium.
The modern touches are impressive. A video board features personalized player introductions and instant replays. The new press box provides a comfortable workspace, and food catered by Shooter’s complements consistently first-class hospitality.
The familiar sounds make the place special. Public address announcer Dirk Q. Allen brings a touch of nostalgia. At halftime, Badin Rocks supplies a sound more reminiscent of Led Zeppelin than a traditional marching band.
Add the intensity of a rivalry game, and the Rams’ new home becomes one of the area’s most distinctive Friday night destinations. We won’t lie, we’ve tailgated before games, too.
Talawanda: A college feel and a winning spread
Talawanda’s stadium has a college vibe — fitting for a school just minutes from Miami University.
The roomy press box offers clear views of the field, making it a comfortable place to follow the action. Joe Pyfrin’s voice over the public address system adds another familiar element to the atmosphere.
The food, though, deserves its own scouting report. Talawanda takes pride in feeding the people covering its games, with a spread that can include LaRosa’s pizza, Buffalo Wild Wings, cookies and plenty more.
Pair that welcome with a good matchup and an impressive setting, and Talawanda checks just about every box. When the Brave football program is doing well, everyone seems to be doing well in the press box, too.
