Painting Boise's Optimist fields: 'You don't know what happens behind the scenes'

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) — Youth football is a big deal in the Treasure Valley. Every Saturday during the season thousands of kids, ages 6-12, play at the Optimist Youth Sports Complex in Boise.

The field houses 16 fields, stretching over some 50 acres of land.

"Probably one of the finest facilities in the country," said Optimist member Robert 'Stub' Clarkson.

Clarkson has been involved with the Optimist Youth Football program since the 1970's, and has done just about everything except coach a team. Now, he and a crew of seven spend every Friday morning during the season painting the white boundary lines on the fields.

"You don't know sometimes what happens behind the scenes," Clarkson said.

It sounds easy, but the crew says it takes them three to four hours each week to get it done.

"When we get all done, we will have striped 15,000 yards of lines," Clarkson said. "The equivalent of about an 8.5 mile stretch down the highway."

Clarkson is joined by Steve Oliver, Rich Murgoitio, Paul Messersmith, Walt Callahan and Mike Fowler. Together, they call themselves the Paint Crew. The group does everything: mix the paint, load the machines and paint each and every line. Every week for close to two months.

"It's harder than it looks," Clarkson said. "Our lines are a little shaky. It doesn't look like it does on TV or down at [Albertsons] stadium. We're going over some rough ground, so things are a little shaky. We get a little squiggly."

And to anyone who thinks they can do it better: the Paint Crew invites you to try it out.

"We've got it down pretty well," Clarkson said.

This group of volunteers ranges in age from 50-82.

"I'm 82," Clarkson said (with a smile). "Just turned 82 in September."

He tells KBOI 2News he does this job for the kids. They (and his crew), he says, help keep him young at heart.

"I don't feel 82," he said. "I'm going to keep doing this as long as I can."

So he and the Paint Crew will be out striping lines again Friday morning, preparing for Saturday's game day.

"The season is short," Clarkson said. "Once it's done, we're sitting here wondering what are we going to do on Saturday mornings?"