Carrying on dad’s legacy

For more than 20 years, the late Terry Dobson was the voice of the Panthers as Mountain Grove sports fans heard his many signature calls on 92.5 FM The Grove before finishing up his career with Big Country 99.3 FM during the 2019-20 season.
Though the community and his family have missed Terry since his passing in May of last year, his legacy, and his known “Touchdown, Mountain Grove” call will carry on this upcoming sports season as his sons, Ben and Chris Dobson, will be broadcasting Panthers games for the new Ozark Mountain Groove 92.5 FM radio station.
For Ben, he is returning to the radio booth after calling games for five seasons with his dad, which included two basketball Final Fours and the 2016 state championship baseball game.
“The biggest thing was getting to do it with him and be a part of some of Mountain Grove’s greatest sports teams,” Ben said.
Ben, who is also the General Sales Manager for Wehr Ford and RV’s, noted that after getting to work with his dad for five years, his father’s passion rubbed off on him.
“I want to carry (his passion) on and put out a quality product,” he said. “…He didn’t just call the football games. He wanted to make everybody a part of it…That’s one thing dad always took pride in that it’s exciting for people at home and they are excited and feel like they are there.”
Chris Dobson, a sales consultant at Wehr Ford and RV’s and a 2015 graduate of Mountain Grove High School, will be the color commentator on the broadcasts and expects for some of dad’s sayings to reach the airwaves.
“I never had the experience to be with dad (in the booth),” he said. “I wish I would have.”
The broadcast opportunity provides a full circle moment for the two brothers as they both remember their dad announcing on the radio during games they were apart of and attended. “Getting my own dad to be able to announce the stuff I did was pretty neat to me,” said Ben, a 2010 graduate. “I want the grandkids to know how special dad was in this town. Now they hear their dad and Uncle Chris’ ad (for the upcoming season). They really think it’s cool. It was always important to grandpa and now it’s important to me.”
Plans for the Dobson brothers include broadcasting JV and varsity football games, some volleyball contests as well as several boys and girls basketball games throughout the winter season.
A Coaches Corner show will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursdays at A-Squared Brewing Company, featuring drinks and a dinner. The broadcast will be live on 92.5 FM and streamed anywhere in the country at ozarkmountaingroove.com.
“We are proud to introduce the Dobson brothers, following in the legacy footsteps of their father, Terry Dobson, and proud to have them with us at Ozark Mountain Groove 92.5 FM,” said Ozark Mountain Groove owner Doug Driesel. “This season will be monumental as the family legacy will continue in Mountain Grove and continue for years to come on Ozark Mountain Groove 92.5 FM.”