ROGERS -- Gary Jackson and his family quickly became active in the Rogers community and in their church after moving to the town in 1974 to start Hight-Jackson Associates PA.
And one activity early on included going to Rogers High football games.
"I remember going to football games at the old stadium where the post office now is," said Jackson's son Brian.
Several years later, Jackson was approached by Ben Rowell about being a spotter at Mounties football games. Rowell was the Mounties' announcer and he needed a new assistant. Rowell was the pastor at First Baptist Church of Rogers at the time, which is where the Jackson family has worshipped since moving to Rogers.
Jackson joked he had no other option but to accept.
"There is no way you can say no to Brother Ben," Jackson said. "Brother Ben has a big interest in sports, and he was our pastor."
Jackson would go on to be a spotter at Rogers football games for 0ver 20 years and he was also recruited to help on the scorer's table at basketball games. Jackson, whose firm has been a long time sponsor of Rogers football games on KURM Radio, also supported other sports at the school while also being a long time Little League Baseball coach and AAU basketball coach.
For his contributions, Jackson will be inducted into the Rogers High Athletic Hall of Fame. Also being inducted at the Sept. 27 ceremony with be Alan Davidson, Charlie Johnston, Tom Olsen, Tom Woodruff, Mindy (Wishon) Brown and Dickie West.
Jackson can still be seen at many Rogers sporting events and he said his time volunteering was very rewarding. Jackson's three sons -- Greg, Brian and Aaron -- all graduated from Rogers and he volunteered many years after they had left the school.
"I have three sons and all of them participated in sports," Jackson said. "I really enjoyed my time doing it, and it was a rewarding time. You make time for what you love. As Whitey Smith always says, 'It is all about the kids.'"
Jackson said being a spotter is not as easy as it seems.
"It's not an easy job," Jackson said. "You have to know all the names for both teams, and pronounce them correctly. That was our biggest challenge. We often joked, what happened to all the Smiths and Jones'."
Jackson went to high school in Coffeyville, Kan., and graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in architecture in 1965. At Texas Tech, Jackson was in the Air Force ROTC and he then spent seven years on active duty and 19 more years in the reserves. While on active duty, Jackson served in Vietnam.
"I joined the ROTC because they gave me $100 every three months and I needed the money," Jackson said.
Sports on 08/09/2014