DECEMBER, 2010 - COVINGTON
When the 2011 softball season begins in the spring, things just won't be the same.

There will be an empty spot to the left of the home bleachers behind the backstop - a spot where Gearhardt Pohlschneider sat in his lawn chair to support the Lady Buccs for many, many years.

Pohlschneider, known simply as "Pohley" to everyone in town, passed away recently at the age of 85. Pohley was well known to virtually everyone in the community due to his life-long service to the Covington Community, which includes 43 years on the Covington Auxiliary Police Department. He was also a proud member of the Bucc Boosters and the Miami County Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.

"We're going to miss him," said Covington softball coach Dean Denlinger. "I'm really going to miss him. He would come out to the softball field 45 minutes early when I prepared the field. He was always there during the summer too. The guy just loved softball. I really enjoyed his company."

For years Pohley was seen at nearly every high school sporting event, but he developed a strong bond with the girls on the softball team. This was evident as the girls gave Pohley a Lady Buccs jacket prior to a tournament game two years ago.

"When the girls gave him the jacket he almost broke down," Denlinger explained. "You could see it meant a lot to him and it was our way to show him that he meant a lot to us."

Pohley's passing will have an affect on the kids, who were custom to seeing him seated behind the backstop at every game.

"It's going to be weird not seeing him at the games," said senior pitcher Chloe Shell. "He'd set there in the same spot behind the backstop in his lawn chair. And we always knew he had our backs. Anytime there was a bad call behind the plate, Pohley made sure the umpire knew it. As a pitcher, it was nice to have him back there (behind the backstop)."

Pohley was so close to the softball program that he was the only "outsider" permitted in the dugout prior to games.

"I remember my first year, my first game at Covington actually, Pohley came into the dugout five minutes before the game and he was going through my scorebook," Denlinger chuckled. "At first, I was not happy. I asked Ed (Boggs) who the guy was going through my book and he told me it was Pohley and he always did that. I had to talk to Pohley and let him know it was OK for him to come into the dugout, but not to do it five minutes before the game. After that, I made sure I had my lineup set at least a half-hour before the game. And wouldn't you know it, Pohley would show up early to get a peak."

Shell remembers the incident as well.

"It was so funny," said laughed. "Dean was getting us mentally ready for the game and Pohley walks in to look at the scorebook. We could tell Dean wasn't happy, but that's Pohley. He always did that. We told coach not to worry about it because that was what Pohley always did."

And Pohley always supported the kids - kids who felt he was an important aspect of the team.

"We love him (Pohley)," said Shell with a crack in her voice. "Pohley was a part of our team and we're going to miss him. It's not going to be the same without him."