Longtime WCHS PA man Ron Henry will be honored Friday night.

WARSAW – Ron Henry admits that he can’t sing very well.

He sure knows how to use his outstanding voice though to make an impact on a sporting event.

Henry, who has informed thousands of fans thoughout a long and illustrious announcing career, will be honored Friday night by the WCHS Athletic Department.

Henry will be saluted during “Ron Henry Night” during the Wawasee at Warsaw boys basketball game in the Tiger Den.

Henry, who began his official announcing career in 1956 while a student at Grace College, has been the PA voice of Warsaw football and boys basketball games since 1982.

“It’s nice recognition,” said Henry of the honor. “It’s something that I enjoy doing. I just enjoy sports.”

Henry, who retired from Grace College in 2008 after holding a number of high positions at the school, picked up the mic for the first time as a youngster.

“My Dad ran a church softball league and he had me announce games so that he would know where I was at,” related Henry with a laugh. “I was like 12 or 13 at the time.”

Henry announced his first game in Leesburg back in 1956 after his professor in his speech class at Grace said that a game needed in announcer.

The rest is history.

Henry, who hails from Iowa,  announced games at Grace up until 1996. He began doing Warsaw football and boys basketball games in 1982 and then added girls basketball games in 2007 and Tiger baseball games in 2008.

“To me, less is more,” said Henry of his philosophy when it comes to being the man behind the mic. “Mike Collins (the former WNDU anchor and PA man for Notre Dame home football games) said once that no one paid a dime to hear him talk. I feel that way too.

“I just want to provide the basic information that fans need. I don’t want to be a cheerleader.”

Henry and his wife Willa, who taught in the Warsaw school system for 41 years, both graduated from Grace in 1958. The couple, who have two daughters Michelle and Monica, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary come May 31.

“I really enjoyed my years at Grace,” said Henry, who along with his wife are members of the Lancer Hall of Fame. He has also been honored by the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers for his decades of service to athletics and was given the Marvin Wood Memorial Award in 2000 by WSJV-Fox 28.

Henry, despite keeping a cool, calm and professional demeanor, does have a rooting interest now for Warsaw girls basketball games. His granddaughter Kendall is a freshman guard for the Warsaw junior varsity team. Kendall’s father David Wayne is an outstanding assistant coach for the Warsaw boys basketball program.

“I take it season by season, but I would like to continue doing it until Kendall is done playing,” noted Henry.

Henry, who is 81, will be honored between the junior varsity and varsity games on Friday. The JV game tips-off at 6:15 p.m. in the Tiger Den.

“I do try to listen to myself at a game and make sure that I’m putting emotion into it. I want to do as well as I can for those that are listening to me.

“I’ve always appreciated announcers who are professional.”

Henry has been just that, a consummate pro for decades and decades for countless fans of both the Lancers and the Tigers.

Come Friday night, it’s his turn to take a bow.

He deserves it.