From left, Joey Chapman, Doug Chapman and Will Chapman have about 100 years of experience on the chain crew for Fort Mill High.

The Chapmans have redefined life on the chain gang.

In the past six decades, a Chapman on the chain crew at Fort Mill High during football games is about as common as the footballs themselves. For 56 years, Doug Chapman has been leading the way on chain crew at Fort Mill. He has worked with his late brother, Jimmie, who started two years before him in 1964, through the early 1980s and now he works with his nephew and Jimmie’s son, Joey, and Joey’s son, Will.

The Chapmans will be finishing up the 2021 home schedule for Fort Mill Friday night as the Jackets take on Boiling Springs. In recent years, physical ailments have slowed Doug, 78, down some, but his goal is to hit 60 years on the chain crew which is about four seasons away.

“I haven’t been able to do much work on the sidelines,” Doug said. “I get down there and start the game and then turn it over to some people who can move. With the way my artificial joints are going, I don’t know. This year has been the worst of all the years as far as missing parts of games. I still have been to every varsity game this year except for the last two weeks.”

Doug followed Jimmie’s lead until Jimmie stepped down and he took over leading the crew. Throughout the nearly 60 years of working on the chain crew, Doug said there has only been about 22 full-time people to have ever helped out. Usually once you are on the chain gang, you are there for a while.

“To me that is pretty significant to have that few of people,” Doug said. “Usually when we meet with the officials before the game, invariably most of them know us.”

“The referees enjoy seeing familiar faces they know they can trust,” Will added.

Joey, 60, has been working on the chain crew for 15 years and Will, 29, has been on there five years. Joey graduated from Fort Mill in 1980 and Will graduated from Fort Mill in 2010. Jimmie Chapman graduated from Fort Mill in 1950 and all three of them had the distinction of playing football at Fort Mill as well.

“Between Will, Joey and me, we got 96 years total,” Doug said. “It is pretty unique that all three of them played football at Fort Mill and graduated 30 years apart.”

Doug said he recruited both Joey and Will to join the chain crew at the school. He said he never imagined lasting as long as he has when it comes to moving chains and has seen more than 600 Fort Mill football games in his lifetime.

“It has been something when it got in my blood,” he said. “If you cut my wrist, blue and gold runs out.”

Joey said he enjoys being part of the chain crew, based on the perspective it gives him.

“For me it is better than sitting in the stands,” he said. “I like being out on the field.”

Although Fort Mill has been bursting at the seems with a growing population for decades, Joey said high school football still gives him that small town feeling. He said he has no idea how long he will do it, but doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon.

“I don’t have any reason to stop,” he said.

He jokes that he isn’t sure if he will still be doing it when he is Uncle Doug’s age.

“I don’t know if I can do it that long,” he said. “I guess we have to wait and see.”

Doug said he hopes that both Joey and Will stay on as long as he does, but realizes that sometime life throws unforeseen flags. For example, Will is set to become a dad next year which might throw a kink in being on the chain crew with a newborn in the picture.  Will said he enjoys being with his dad and great uncle.

“It’s a chance to get together with the guys,” he said. “It takes me back to not so long ago when I was playing.”

With a baby on the way, Will said juggling games and time on the chain crew might be tough.

“Next year will be tricky, he said.

Joey added that maybe in years to come another Chapman can be on the chain crew in Will’s expected son.

“That would be nice,” Joey said.

Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep