BRING BACK THE VOICE OF THE PANTHERS
A Community Petition in Support of Kevin Swartz
For more than 20 years, Kevin Swartz has been a voice for the athletes of our community.

From little kids stepping onto a T-ball field for the first time to young men taking the field under the lights for Northwood High School football, Kevin has been there.

But calling Kevin simply an “announcer” doesn't come close to describing what he has meant to generations of local athletes.

Kevin has a gift for making kids feel like what they're doing matters.

It doesn't matter which uniform they're wearing.

It doesn't matter which side of the scoreboard they're on.

Kevin has always made an effort to recognize, encourage, and uplift both teams equally. He celebrates the kids, the effort they put in, and the game itself.

For more than two decades, countless children have grown up hearing Kevin's voice come across those speakers.

Some of those little T-ball players eventually became middle school athletes. Then they became Northwood Panthers. Some have graduated, started families of their own, and now have children playing on the same fields where Kevin once announced their names.

That isn't just an announcer.

That's a tradition.

That's part of growing up in this community.

That's the voice of the Panthers.

Kevin's dedication to local athletics doesn't end when the microphone is turned off, either. He has continued supporting our athletes by writing about local sports for the newspaper, giving our young people recognition beyond the field and helping preserve their accomplishments for the community.

Kevin Swartz has dedicated an enormous part of his life to supporting the Northwood Panthers and the children of this community.

And that is why the way he was recently treated has left so many people disappointed, confused, and angry.

Kevin was reportedly notified by text message one morning that his announcing position was being eliminated because of budget cuts.

Kevin was receiving only $25 per game, for approximately five games per year.

That's roughly $125 for an entire season.

But Kevin didn't argue about the money.

Instead, after more than 20 years of dedication, he offered to continue announcing FOR FREE.

He didn't want money.

He wanted to be there for the kids.

He was then told that someone else had already been selected.

After that, his attempts to get answers through calls and text messages went unanswered.

And that leaves this community with a very reasonable question:

If this was truly about saving $125, why was someone else already chosen after Kevin offered to do the job for nothing?
We believe the community deserves an answer.

The circumstances have caused many people to feel that Kevin may have fallen victim to the type of behind-the-scenes favoritism that people around here commonly call the “good ol' boys” system.

We are not claiming to know every conversation or decision that happened behind closed doors.

That's precisely why we're asking for transparency.

If there is a legitimate reason for replacing someone who has faithfully supported our children and our schools for more than two decades, then tell the community what it is.

But don't tell a man who has given more than 20 years to our kids that there isn't enough money to pay him $25 a game, and then replace him after he offers to do it for free.

Because at that point, it isn't about the money anymore.

This petition isn't being started because Kevin Swartz needs $25.

It's being started because our kids need people like Kevin Swartz.

They need adults who get excited when they succeed.

They need someone who recognizes the kid who doesn't normally get recognized.

They need someone who can make a Little League game feel like the World Series and a Friday night under the lights feel like the biggest game in the world.

They need traditions.

They need memories.

And sometimes, they need to hear that familiar voice coming through those speakers reminding them that somebody sees what they're accomplishing.

The kids' spirits need Kevin in that booth.

For more than 20 years, Kevin has given his voice to this community.

He has promoted our athletes.

He has written about them.

He has encouraged them.

He has celebrated them.

He has supported the Northwood Panthers through generation after generation.

This is about more than an announcer.

It's about how we treat the people who spend decades giving back to our children and our community.

We, the undersigned, respectfully ask those responsible for this decision to:

Immediately reconsider the decision to replace Kevin Swartz.
Offer Kevin the opportunity to return to the announcer's booth.
Provide an honest and transparent explanation for why “budget cuts” were cited when Kevin's offer to volunteer was declined and another person had already been selected.
Ensure that future decisions involving the people who serve our student-athletes are made fairly, transparently, and with appropriate consideration for their service to our community.
This isn't about attacking whoever was selected to replace Kevin. That individual should not be blamed for a decision they may not have made.

This is about the decision itself.

It's about accountability.

It's about tradition.

And most importantly, it's about our kids.

For more than 20 years, Kevin Swartz has used his voice to lift up generations of our children.

Now it's our turn to use our voices for him.

BRING KEVIN BACK.
BRING BACK THE VOICE OF THE PANTHERS.
Once a Panther, always a Panther.