Traditionally, homecoming at a high school is a time where past graduates “come home” and reacquaint themselves with their alma mater.

I don't know that I've ever been a part of a more special one than the one held this past weekend at Thomas County Central. As part of the 2009 homecoming festivities, members of the first Yellow Jacket football team were invited to come back as honorary captains for the game.

The evening started with the surviving members of the team gathering for supper. Watching these men, some of whom haven't seen each other in nearly 50 years, try to figure out who each other was as they walked up to each other was wonderful.

"Just look at his eyes, and you can tell who it is,” "Lord, would you look a here.”

"Billy? Is it you, Billy?"

"My lands, you haven't changed a bit.”

"You still ain't above telling a whopper now, are you?"”

Those are just a few of the comments traded back and forth as backs were patted and hugs abounded.

I've broadcast Central's games on the radio since the mid '80's and, even though I just think things have changed since then, hearing some of the stories from these men made me appreciate just how far things have come.

One fellow told me about the showers the players used — if you can call them that. They were wooden stalls with water hoses run to them — outdoors.

“If it was freezing cold, that was all you had,” he smiled. “Made for a quick shower, I can tell you that.”

The field that is now called The Jackets’ Nest was a cornfield in 1959. The corn was plowed under and the plain dirt field was used for practices.

“If we did something wrong, our punishment was to go out and pick up a bucket of rocks,” one shared. “There’s a lot of buckets represented in this room.”

At the game, the former players lined up along the sidelines before the coin toss, joined by their assistant coach, Sherman Hall, who is still just as sharp as he was 50 years ago.

We talked long and hard at the high school about how to adequately recognize these men, in many way pioneers for our county. Many things were discussed but, until one of the men shared a minor detail about his career, nothing stood out.