Boosters Put Cap on Championship Football Season
January 26, article two

Late last summer, when the Fostoria Athletic Boosters were sprucing up the stadium for another football season, no one knew what kind of year it would be for the Fostoria High School Redmen.

Last Sunday January 19, out at the Hilltop Club, the Boosters held their appreciation dinner. The Boosters, the coaches and the players sat down to commemorate a state Division 11 championship in a magical season that was Coach Dick Kidwell’s swan song as well as the 100the anniversary of high school football in Fostoria.

Brad Echelberry and Rick Hoffman co-chaired the banquet. Rick was the emcee for the affair.

“The Athletic Boosters are the hardest working group of individuals I’ve ever been acquainted with. They’ve worked diligently over the years to work on new creative ideas to come up with new funding and as Donene Smith (SWHS Athletic Director) and Carl Fisher (FHS AD) can both attest, it’s very, very expensive and presses your budget to run a good quality athletic program.”

A quality athletic program is secondary to the education received by those athletes and 62 percent of Fostoria’s athletes made the honor roll this past semester.

Rick pointed out that there might not be another team in the state that played seven, yep, seven, conference champions as the Redmen did on their way to the state title.

On hand as a special guest was the 1996 Gatorade Punt, Pass and Kick Champion Matt Talley. Matt was asked who his favorite Redmen player is.

“All of them,” he answered. He also told the Boosters he wasn’t nervous in front of 60,000 people; his favorite player is Bret Favre; and he followed the Redmen all season.

The Boosters awarded a plaque to Matt which read “Presented to Matt Talley, National Champion Gatorade/NFL Punt, Pass and Kick. Congratulations and good luck in all your endeavors. Presented by the Fostoria Athletic Boosters, Jan. 19, 1997.”

Following dinner Booster President Lynn Coleman presented awards to Coach Kidwell, all his assistant coaches and other associated with the team. Each plaque has a team photo, the season record, the Redmen emblem and the recipient’s name.

Framed Redmen 100 Years of Football posters were presented to retirees Dick Kidwell, trainer John Tinsman, equipment manager Bob Feisel and team physician Dr. James A. Murray.

Lynn Coleman told the audience that “the highlight of the state championship for me was at the end of the game when the Fostoria High band started playing the fight song, Bob grabbed a trumpet and he plays a mean trumpet.”

The Boosters also presented Coach Kidwell with a plaque in honor of “20 years of dedicated service to the community and youth of Fostoria.”

Coach Kidwell said, “I would personally like to thank the Boosters for 20 years of backing and dedication and hard work and a lot of financial support, such as taking our idea with the all-star game and flying with that. We’ve made football a lot better in this part of the state particularly in the town of Fostoria. We’re very fortunate to have a group like this. Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate it.”

Special thanks were extended to Steve Moes and Rich McClellan for cooking up the thick slabs of prime rib. More than one guy around the coaches table ate a second helping.

Fostoria Community Hospital donated the pies and cakes for dessert. Duane Alt provided the public address system. Duane is selling FHS commemorative mugs, gold inlaid on the top. On one side it says Fostoria Redmen 1996 State Champions and on the other it says 100 Years of Fostoria Football, 1896-1996.

The Fostoria Athletic Booster banquet puts the official cap on the 1996 season, one they’ll still be talking about 50 years from now.