MONROE, Ohio — In 1961 John F. Kennedy was president, the University of Cincinnati basketball squad won a national title, Walt Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” animated movie was released and a 20-year-old Monroe resident decided to volunteer for the “chain gang” sideline crew at his former high school’s football games.
At the time, it seemed a natural idea for Tom Leeds, a 1959 graduate of the former Lemon-Monroe High School, given his already deep love of the then tiny and rural Butler County community where he was raised.
And now, 64 years later, Leeds’ streak of working Monroe football games as part of the official downs marker crew continues, most recently last Friday night during the Monroe Hornets’ varsity team battle against rival Franklin High School.
Though Monroe lost 23-16, Leeds’ extraordinary streak of volunteerism reveals the 84-year-old’s winning, can-do attitude.
And in the last two decades, the election of Leeds by his hometown for multiple terms on Monroe Schools’ Board of Education has seen the spry octogenarian help oversee the booming growth of his beloved school system.
Leeds paused during pre-game action at Monroe’s stadium before last Friday’s home game and took in the exciting, colorful sights and sound on the kind of beautiful fall evening he has enjoyed hundreds of times through more than six decades of working football games.
When asked about why he continues to volunteer to work the sidelines, Leeds smiled and joked “it’s the best seat in the house and you get in for free.”
“But seriously, it keeps you young,” said the former school board president who now is the Monroe board’s most veteran member and member of the Monroe Athletic Hall of Fame.
“I like watching the kids mature and get better through the years. It’s good to see that,” he said of the Monroe football program.
In his 64 years of maneuvering around football squads along the crowded and chaotic sidelines, Leeds has only been knocked down twice as players tumbled out of bounds during flying tackles.
His first advice to rookie chain gang members?
“You have to watch out while on the sidelines because when they come at you, they come at you fast and you have to get out of the way.”
There’s no pay involved but there is free pizza at half time for the crew, said Leeds.
The real payoff, he said, is being in the middle of the Friday Night Lights’ action.
“I like high school football and you get to see everything. Sure, when it’s bad weather it can get bad but that doesn’t happen much.”
Though Monroe Schools Superintendent Robert Buskirk has seen Leeds in action at home games in recent years, he never tires of marveling at the young-at-heart board member.
“Tom is a unique community member and board member,” said Buskirk prior to Friday’s kick-off.
“He is Monroe, through and through. And he has been here his whole life … and he gives so much back to the community and the school district.”
“There he is out there, 84 years old and he keeps the other chain gang members on their toes and gives the refs a run for their money. He is sharp and just a good person.”
In addition to his work with the school system, Leeds is a former Armco/AK Steel employee and has done multi-decade volunteer stints with the Monroe fire department, youth clubs and his family church.
The volunteer work is a labor of love for Leeds, and a reflection of his commitment to his hometown.
“It’s fun and this is a close-knit community and the same goes for the fans here. And you see them on Friday nights, packing the stands and they back their sports here.”
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