'I'm blown away by it.' New Wyoming AD Jeff King enters Hall of Fame with father on Friday

After 35 years of announcing the names of Wyoming High School athletes, Jeff King will finally hear his own name over the public address as he steps onto Bernie Barre Field at Bob Lewis Stadium. He's been around long enough to know both coaches whose names grace the facility off Pendery Avenue.

King is being inducted into Wyoming's Athletic Hall of Fame and his son, also Jeff King, the Wyoming athletic director, is also being enshrined.

"I've always loved Wyoming. I've lived here basically all my life," said the senior King, who graduated in 1967. "This is such a great community, such a great school system. I'm blown away by it (the induction). I never expected it and to go in with my son, it's just amazing. It's just an amazing, amazing time."

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Said his son, who graduated in 2007, "I've been pushing for him to be in the Hall of Fame for a while with everything that he's done. He's synonymous with Wyoming sports. He's the Voice of the Cowboys and everyone thinks it's pretty special to hear their name get called by him. Obviously, it was extremely special for myself and my sisters. Being able to now go in with him at the same time is really special."

King the PA announcer used to be known as "Big Jeff" until his son "Little Jeff" grew to be a 6-foot-1-inch, 280-plus pound defensive lineman for Wyoming and then-coach Bernie Barre. He took his career to Ohio University, then returned as a strength coach for his alma mater before assuming the athletic director role after the retirement of Jan Wilking.

Now, "Big Jeff" has become "Old Jeff." After Friday's festivities before the Cowboys play Reading, both can be called "Hall of Famer Jeff." Though they share the same first and last names, the middle names differ. Father is Jeff David King and son is Jeff Michael King. The older King's father was Nelson King, a country music disc jockey hall of famer himself on WCKY. The younger King's 3-month-old son is named Nelson.

By his own account, the "Voice of the Cowboys" has announced around 1,750 boys and girls basketball games, 700 boys and girls home soccer games, 163 boys and girls lacrosse games, 135 home football games and 55 home volleyball games. Dating back to when he was a student manager for Wyoming's basketball team, the elder King also keeps the official scorebook as he announces.

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The younger King wears an equal amount of Cowboy blue as his father and grew up at school contests. Influenced by the legends at Wyoming, he would train hard. He even had a 40-yard dash marked off on his street so his sisters could time him while he ran with a parachute behind him. His hard work earned him a scholarship to play Division I football for the Bobcats and three bowl rings. He's also Wyoming's record holder in the shot put (54' 3.5").

"There's such great families and great coaches who continually want to live here and put their kids through this system," the younger King said. "I've loved every minute of it."

The elder King can remember going to Wyoming High School in a different building while the current grass field was often muddy and the surrounding track was cinder. Still, Wyoming football often prevailed under Hall of Fame coaches Lewis and Barre.

Now with a turf field and several banners, including the 2018 Division IV state championship to go along with the 1977 state championship, Wyoming football continues to succeed under Aaron Hancock. Hancock can often be found in the school's Champions Center behind the field, one of the few dedicated indoor facilities in the state.

Just in football alone, the King family has been surrounded by a star-studded list of great players. Bob Goodridge, Ahmed Plummer, P.J. Pope and Robert Brewster made it to the NFL. College players included Fred Jacobs, DeJuan Gossett, Richard Hall, Ivan Fulton, Cleon Plummer, Jibreel Black, Steve Bell, Jeff Dennis. Garyn Prater, Evan Prater (2019 Ohio Mr. Football), Will Marty and Andrew Marty.

It may be hard to chuck a football 100 yards and not hit someone named Marty. Likewise, other names reload in Wyoming: Edmonds, Rogers, O'Gara, Kadish. Jeff King has either announced them or his son has played or coached with them.

"Those are all such great families that produced such great athletes," the older King said. "The Lewises, the Barres, Jim and Bernie. It's hard to put my finger on what brought me to this except, it's just what I do."

King has announced soccer games played by his daughters, Jenny and Becky, and football games for his son. His ability to keep stats and shot charts in basketball began his career in Wyoming sports on the sidelines. Since 1987, he's often been seated with a microphone and not many days pass when he's not wearing Wyoming blue.

The Kings marvel over the 2018 state football title, a Statue of Liberty play to beat Indian Hill and a game featuring Reading quarterback Tony Pike (Cincinnati Bearcats) and DeShawn Wynn (Florida Gators, Green Bay Packers) against the Cowboys. Wynn now coaches Wyoming running back standout C.J. Hester.

"It's such great tradition," the younger King said of Wyoming. "Sports were always very much of our family life."

Said his father, "I'm rarely without my Wyoming hat."

The blue horseshoe will be sported proudly Friday evening.

Also being inducted with the Kings are DeAndre McGinnis Mitchell (father of current Cowboy Anderson Mitchell/Class of 1989 football and basketball); Tess Loper (Class of 2005, volleyball and basketball) and Jon Edgington (Class of 2007, basketball and baseball).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Two Kings enter Wyoming High athletic Hall of Fame Friday night