MARTINS FERRY — It’s gameday at River High School and the Pilots are playing host to Martins Ferry for a matinee girls’ basketball encounter inside the fabled R.L. Potts Gymnasium.

As the players warm up on the court, Bill Leach makes the rounds along the scorers table, exchanging pleasantries with coaches, players and fans, alike.

Leach is in his first season keeping the book for Dave Reasbeck, who’s in his first season of his second go-round guiding the Purple Riders.

“Dave and I have been friends forever,” Leach said when asked how he got the job of being Reasbeck’s book guy. “He just asked me to do it. That’s all.”

It doesn’t take much to talk Leach into doing something in the athletic realm, especially if Martins Ferry is involved with it. Heck, he’s been a fixture in sports in the community for 40 years, at least.

From his days coaching in the Martins Ferry Civics to now, Leach has been a trusted go-to for a plethora of Purple Rider administrators.

From the late Warren Hood, to Kim Appolloni, to current athletic director Mark Cook, athletic administrators high atop the purple city have always know that if something needs done, Leach will help if he can.

“If ‘Cookie’ needs something, I’ll help him out,” Leach said.

This year, in addition to helping Reasbeck with his book, Leach is continuing his duties as the public address voice for both the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.

“It’s kind of hard,” Leach admitted of pulling double-duty for girls’ home games. I’ve been trying to get someone to do the book for the home games, but no one seems to want to do it.”

So Leach presses on, doing both jobs and loving it.

“I’ve always enjoyed it,” he said. “I like being around the kids. It’s nice to watch the kids smile when they do something good, you know?”

Leach comes from an athletic family. His dad, also named Bill, was an official for many years and passed along his love sports, and officiating, to his son. The younger Bill served as an official for 23 years until an accident incurred while working for the City of Martins Ferry left him unable to continue.

“Jimmy and Warren Hood got my into officiating,” Leach explained. “I had a lot of good times. Roger Levi and Ron White would always be there with me and helped me along the way.”

Leach also learned a lot from his brother, Rick. He served many years in coaching and athletic administrator capacities up and down the OVAC footprint from Union Local, to Tyler Consolidated to Parkersburg South.

While he’s not helping at Ferry events, he’s probably watching Purple Rider teams. Leach has many nieces and nephews playing on various teams and he enjoys simply going to watch Martins Ferry play, no matter the sport.

“I’m just a big fan,” he said.

If you know of someone in sports in the Ohio Valley whom I could feature as an Ohio Valley Unsung Hero, drop me a line at rthorp@timesleaderonline.com or via Twitter @RickThorp1