He’s a staple at high school sports games. But don’t worry, he won’t be leaving — just changing seats.

Marty Budzius, who spent more than 40 years in the Issaquah School District doing everything from teaching to coaching to announcing, called his last game Wednesday, Feb. 18.

“I’ve met some wonderful people in Issaquah, and I’ve had a wonderful career,” he said. “The best career in the world to get to see the kids grow up, to see my product grow up.”

District officials honored Budzius with a plaque and a short speech during halftime of the Feb. 11 Issaquah High School girls basketball game, thanking him for his years of service.

Budzius cited several reasons for leaving his post, including two bouts with open heart surgery, vision that’s not as sharp as it once was, and the simple feeling that “it’s just time.”

But as a longtime Sammamish resident, Budzius has had the chance to teach and coach many students along the way. He and his wife, both teachers, moved to the Plateau in 1963, after his graduation from Central Washington University two years earlier.

He began announcing games in 1977, but his career with the school district started much earlier — in 1961, when he began teaching fourth grade at May Valley Elementary School.

In 1963, he moved to fifth and sixth grade at Briarwood Elementary, and then took over science, math, P.E. and history at Maywood Middle School when it opened in 1969.

Budzius also served as assistant football coach for the school, developed and taught an aerospace class, and started the district’s model rocketry program.

But it was football that led to his announcing career. He began by filming games for the high school and running the clock.

“Then in ’77 they needed an announcer, and I thought, ‘Well, heck, I did some of that in college. I bet I could do it,’” Budzius said.

Soon he was the voice of not only football, but boys and girls basketball, wrestling, track and field, and a handful of community events.

And while getting “the best seat in the house” was a perk, it wasn’t the only reason he kept at it.

“I get to see the kids grow up and develop and move on — some to college, and they’ve done very well,” he said. “It’s always fun to be able to say I knew them as freshmen in high school.”

He’s also seen the sports change over the years; when he started, girls basketball was a slow enough game that he could announce and keep statistics at the same time. But that didn’t last long.

“I’ve seen them develop into much faster players, and play a more sophisticated game,” he said.

And he has his favorites. Wrestling, he said, was fun to announce — especially when his son was on the team.

“I had to be careful, then,” he laughed. “But the matches I wasn’t announcing, you could hear me in the crowd.”

Budzius has also made his name in the community over the years. He’s a charter member of the Issaquah Rotary, and announces at the annual Challenge Day Race, a soap box derby for developmentally disabled children. He also helps announce during the Salmon Days Rotary Run and the Fourth of July Parade, has been on the Rotary First Harvest board, and began serving as chairman of the Salmon Days Junior Parade in 1982.

Budzius also volunteers weekly at the Issaquah Visitor’s Bureau.

“When you’re in one place for such a long time, you get to know people, and that’s a great thing,” he said. “I feel very comfortable here. It’s just nice to know the people in the community that you’re working and dealing with.”

Budzius retired from full-time teaching after 31 years, but won’t be gone from the district for good — he takes his master’s degree in school administration off the shelf and substitutes for principals in the district from time to time.

Michael Bailey, Issaquah High School athletic director, said being at the games without Budzius’ familiar voice will be a big change.

“You know, everybody knows him and recognizes his voice,” he said. “He’s been a marquee person at Issaquah High School for a very long time, and he’s definitely going to be hard to replace.”

But Budzius isn’t worried.

Bill Foote, who along with his son has been announcing football and boys basketball for the past couple of seasons, will be taking over full-time.

“I may have some qualms with leaving, but it’s time and I know that,” he said. “I’ve had a great career and I’ve enjoyed everything that I’ve done. I’m just going to sit back and relax, and enjoy being a spectator at the games with my son and grandson.”