You don’t see him, but you hear the crisp baritone of his voice booming from the loudspeakers at Oak Park Stadium. The sound echoes out over the bleachers, the field, the opposing team’s stands and then drifts away as eloquently as it began until there’s … yet another play, yet another call to make.
The voice of God at the OPRF High School football games is none other than Michael LeFevre, a husband, father, banker and OPRF sports aficionado. You may already know him, or his last name. He graduated from the high school in 1989. His mother, Lyn, worked at the school for 20 years, including as athletics secretary, before retiring in 2009. His father, James, works the first down chains at home football games and the scoreboard at basketball games.
LeFevre also announces both the girls and boys basketball games at OPRF, sitting alongside his Pop. It’s good, quality father-son time, he says. “We have a lot of laughs.”
The former Huskie has been the voice of OPRF girls basketball since 1999 (boys basketball and football on a regular basis since 2005), and, except for spending time with his wife Nicole and daughters Melanie and Brittany, there’s nothing he’d rather be doing.
“I just really enjoy it. It’s great when I hear smatter from the crowd after announcing a kid’s name who made a tackle or something,” says LeFevre, who majored in sports broadcasting at Southern Illinois University. “It’s a perfect fit because I get to do something I love for a school I hold in great regard.”
One of LeFevre’s fondest memories so far is the 2002-03 girls basketball season when the Huskies won a school record 30 games. Former OPRF head basketball coach Al Allen’s 400th career victory in 2006 was another great call, he says, as was the OPRF boys basketball team’s upset of undefeated Lyons Township in 2010.
“The football team, unfortunately, hasn’t had too many games that really stand out, but the game against Hinsdale Central two years ago when their quarterback threw the ball into the end zone in double overtime, but it was called a fumble — that, I won’t ever forget,” says LeFevre. “We have a hard time winning conference games as it is, and to have one just taken away was … well, dumb.”
LeFevre takes his duties at the mic seriously, even to the point of refining the tone of certain announcements at his home in Auora before games. “Yes, it’s a little silly, but at times I can be seen talking out loud to myself. I just want to make sure I get it right.”
LeFevre adds that he also likes to make sure the routine announcements don’t sound robotic. “You have to add in a little creativity at times, just to keep it fresh.”
And he’s had his share of weird announcements to broadcast. For instance, for a Booster Club scavenger hunt promotion two weeks ago, LeFevre requested that someone in the crowd with “a body piercing anywhere but in their ear” should report to the press box.
“That was one of the most unusual announcements I’ve ever made,” he says with a chuckle.
The big play, weather delay or split-the-pot raffle announcements at OPRF all issue from the mouth of Michael LeFevre, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I do get paid a small amount, but I’d do it even if they didn’t pay me.”
Now, don’t go announcing that Michael.