When Lucas Dahlberg hears his name called at an Elk River football game, he stops. The request that follows could be just about anything.
“Lucas, is that camera set up?” “Lucas, where should we put the Gatorade?” “Lucas, can you add “Hot to go” to the music playlist?” “Lucas, can I have some of your popcorn?”
On a chilly Friday evening, making the short walk between the school’s football stadium and the community ice rink nearby, the Elk River senior was stopped five times and fielded requests from adults and students alike.
The football team prepped to faced Rogers, while the Minnesota Squatch Junior A hockey team took the ice next door.
Dahlberg can’t be in two places at once, but he can try. There’s no written to-do list. “That’s up here,” he said, tapping his temple.
Lucas Dahlberg walks through the order of the pregame show with Elk River band director John Rosner prior to the football team’s game against Rogers. (Cassidy Hettesheimer/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Despite not yet graduating high school, Dahlberg has been running the show — or rather, shows — for so long, it’s become second nature. As a freshman, he offered to run the video board for the City of Elk River’s new ice rink. Now, he’s employed as the city’s senior coordinator of event experience and gameday presentation — plus, announces or produces high school football, hockey, baseball, soccer and lacrosse games.
Rarely is a senior coordinator, well, a senior.
“(Surprise about my age) is a thing I’ve dealt with ever since freshman year,” Dahlberg said. “Yes, I’m a high schooler, but I know what I’m doing.”
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