Brent Hall said his baseball players have been known to forget to turn off the lights at the field after a nighttime session. Recently he woke up early, saw the lights on and drove to the ballpark to turn them off.
Only they weren’t accidentally left on.
“I go over there thinking someone has left the lights on,” Hall recalled. “It’s Kent over there getting water off the field.”
For more than a decade, Kent Swearengin has volunteered his time to care for the Houston High School baseball field. Whatever is needed –– mowing, spraying for weeds, preparing dirt or fixing equipment –– he has done with no compensation from the district.
Swearengin was recognized for his efforts in April when he received the “Distinguished Service Award” at the 43rd annual Missouri Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association conference banquet in Osage Beach. Hall and his assistant coach, Ryan Munson, as well as athletic director Brent Kell were there to honor Swearengin.
Swearengin was one of 13 individuals given the honor that is “presented to a limited number of persons outside the field of interscholastic administration in recognition of their service to interscholastic athletics.”
“It was well past time for him to be honored,” Hall said. “He is hidden behind the scenes with all he does for a long time. We have one of the nicest fields in the area, and it’s not because of anything I do. He takes care of most of it.”
Swearengin began volunteering his time when his son, Trevor, joined the program and continued as another son, Travis, played. But when they graduated, he stayed.
Hall said Swearengin has been on the field at 2 or 3 a.m. in past years to remove water from the infield for that day’s game. Hall said when he has offered to take a personal day to assist Swearengin preparing a muddy playing surface, he was told to stay out of the way.
“He treats the field like his own,” Hall said. “I tell everyone it’s his baby, and he can do whatever he wants with it.”
Swearengin preps the field for both games and practices. He is around the field every day and is the team’s statistician.
“He’s a member of our coaching staff,” Hall said. “When the kids come up to the field, they’re more happy to see him than me and Ryan. He is a friend to many of them and a big part of their lives.”
“It was well past time for him to be honored. He is hidden behind the scenes with all he does for a long time.”
-BRENT HALL