New turf a field of dreams: Local man says his efforts have been for the kids

Enterprise Editor

clydenews@bizwoh.rr.com

John Hutchins, a retired member of the Ohio Operating Engineers, made a little news earlier this summer. It was not the kind of news neither he nor the Clyde High School athletic department were seeking or even wanted.

While excavating to install proper drainage for the new CHS artificial turf field, the backhoe Hutchins was operating hit a natural gas main. OUPS had mismarked where the main to the high school was located.

The gas company was nearby at the time and the gas was turned off quickly, and Hutchins went back to work.

"This guy has saved us a lot of money," commented Dick Farrar recently. A local coach, Farrar pointed out Hutchins has helped with many projects over the years.

While sitting in the bleachers Bishop Stadium last week watching the sand and rubber pellets being spread on the new artificial turf field, Hutchins pointed out that he was just one of the many volunteers on the most recent project.

"He came and volunteered to drive a dump truck," CHS athletic director Bob Bishop explained about how the local retiree got involved in this summer's project.

Once Hutchins was involved in the turf project, Bishop asked him to watch over things earlier this summer when the athletic director had to leave town for a few days.

A contractor at the site informed Bishop later that Hutchins "eyeballed" the groundwork from one end of the field. Hutchins then advised the field needed to be leveled about 2 inches. They found he was right, the athletic director said. Hutchins also put in hours of work as well.

The retiree is no stranger to CHS sports. Hutchins last week sitting in the stadium pointed out his son Eric was the quarterback for the Fliers football 1993 team, which was 10-0.

"I've got every game taped from seventh grade to high school years," the proud father said about his son, who is now a vice president of leasing for a company in Northwest Ohio.

"I worked with the boosters and helped to build the track," the elder Hutchins said about the all-weather track project over a decade ago.

The 1964 Lancaster High School graduate said his 43 years in construction has been helpful on some of the school sports projects. Hutchins retired from construction a year ago.

"I've always been involved. I take an interest in the younger generation," he said, noting his and wife Phyllis' children are graduated. Now they are watching 14 grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up in the Clyde and Tiffin area.

The local family, however, has faced some challenges.

Two years ago, Hutchins was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had his prostate removed. "I came through very good," the retiree said. Then earlier this spring, John was tested and sent back to undergo another round of radiation treatments.

When Bishop called him to come out and to help out with the turf project, he was still undergoing his second round of seven weeks of radiation treatments.

Hutchins still came. He said he offered to help Maumee Bay Turf with the groundwork, and he worked for hours and weeks. The retiree admitted he was pretty exhausted even at the start, but he stayed.

"I had two days to go to finished up my seven weeks," he shared.

"But I still worked every day," he said, noting, "I love to work."

"I think I was there for three weeks," he said about working on the artificial turf project. "Maumee Bay Turf was a nice bunch of guys to work with," he commented, and he said the same about the many other volunteers on the summer project.

"You cannot let things get the best of you," John said, noting he and his family know that first hand.

His wife, Phyllis, had an aneurysm and was injured during a medical surgery in 2002, which resulted in a successful civil action to cover medical costs and attorney fees. His wife now is visually impaired and deals with other health issues.

Then nearly a year and a half ago, he nearly lost his son, Eric, and family to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Five weeks ago, John finished his second round of radiation treatments relating to his original prostate cancer diagnosis.

"As of right now, I have to go back every three to six months," he said about following up on his cancer. "With prayers from family, brothers, Dee and Martha (Whaley) and friends and from all around the United States, I keep going," he said.

"There are so many hurdles in life," John explained.

The one-time football Dad pointed out that no Clyde football team has beaten the 1993 perfect season record - although the Fliers subsequently did win a state championship.

The 62-year-old man said the current generation of Fliers deserved the field he was sitting at on a warm evening.

"This new field, I want them to play their best," he said as World Turf workers, Bishop, coaches and others kept working to finish the project the evening before the first game of the season.

Hutchins' wife earlier in the week shared with The Clyde Enterprise that she put off having an MRI scan until after the turf was done so her husband could be at the stadium.

"Bless her soul," he said. John shared that Phyllis, with her vision problems, missed watching the games.

The man who has overcome his own hurdles commented that school district residents too would get over the hurdle they now face with the investigation of the school superintendent.

"Clyde-Green Springs must work together to get over this hurdle," he emphasized.

John Hutchins shared one other story about another project he had worked on for the local sports program - the football house and wrestling building.

Bishop also acknowledged Hutchins put his own personal mark on the building that sits at the west end of the high school parking lot.

Hutchins was working inside the structure grading the ground with a Bobcat.

"I accidentally hit two blocks," he said.

"They put a door in," he added about the site where he had done a bit of damage. "They use it all the time," he said, noting Bishop told him he needed an extra door there anyway.

Last week on Thursday night, Hutchins asked if he could have a photograph taken for this article. He called Bishop and Assistant Athletic Director Ryan Greenslade up to the stadium bleachers from the field. He then handed them a check for $1,000 from his family and that of Eric's family to help pay for the turf the new generation of football players would use on Friday night.