WALES – Dressed in blaze orange vests and holding signs, they look like a road construction crew that got bad directions and ended up at a high school football game.

But they’re not there to direct traffic. They’re the chain gang, and without them, you couldn’t play football in 10-yard increments or four downs at a time.

Chain gangs come in threes. Two of the three members stand 10 yards apart, holding tall, usually orange-colored sticks connected by a chain. The third carries the down marker, which officially keeps track of what down it is, rather than the scoreboard, which is often incorrect at high school games.

In no other sport is some Joe off the street given such responsibility. It’s not exactly a high-profile job, even though the chain gang is critical to every play. They stand on the sidelines, moving up and down the field with the action, but they never actually get on the field unless an official motions them over to measure for a first down.

Billy Bonn, Gil Hinkley and Ken Webber serve as the chain gang at Oak Hill varsity games. Bonn and Hinkley estimate they have been doing it for four or five years. Webber has helped out for two years. None of them have sons playing for Oak Hill, although Bonn’s son, Todd, is an assistant coach.

They didn’t have to try out for the chain gang.

“We work for cheap,” joked Bonn. “Plus, we’re tax exempt.”

“I told them we select our most vocal fans,” quipped Oak Hill athletic director Bill Fairchild, “so they have to keep quiet during the game.”

Chain gang members aren’t supposed to cheer during the game, though it’s a matter of etiquette more than a hard and fast rule. Bonn, Hinkley and Webber tend to keep their rooting interests under wraps, but the chain gangs at some schools are sometimes the most boisterous fans.

“That’s the hardest part, not cheering,” said Webber.

They’re basically unpaid volunteers, although there are a few perks.

“They feed us at halftime,” said Webber.

At most games, members of the chain gang have a free hot dog and soda waiting for them at the snack bar at halftime.

Hinkley’s not in it for the free lunch, though.

“We do it so the parents don’t have to, so they can watch their kids play and cheer,” said Hinkley, who has a son, Joe, plays soccer at Oak Hill and another son, Chris, who played golf and soccer there.

The chain gang’s responsibilities sometimes extend to before and after games. At Oak Hill, they show up early and leave late on game days and perform several other important if thankless tasks, such as helping to set up the field or erecting and tearing down the sideline staging where assistant coaches get a bird’s-eye view of the action and cleaning .

“They’re pretty typical of the parents we have,” said Oak Hill athletic director Bill Fairchild. “When they’re given an opportunity to help, they jump right in and pitch in.”

Being a member of this exclusive, well-fed group isn’t without its risks. The chain gang needs to pay close attention at all times, and then tend to scatter when a play comes too close or a 250-pound lineman tries to tackle a 200-pound running back in their direction. The Oak Hill gang says they can count on getting accidentally stepped on by a player at least once a year.

“They’ve got those plastic cleats. Those hurt,” said Hinkley.

Those are the hazards of the job, but they’re pretty easy to tolerate when it’s a sunny but crisp fall Saturday afternoon and the football and the hot dogs are free.

“We’ve got the best seats in the house,” said Hinkley.