Clyde Conti stood on the sideline at the Big 33 Football Classic in Hershey Saturday night and took it all in.

The athletes. The crowd. And the honor that was bestowed upon him.

"I turned to some of the guys down on the field and said, 'Gee, how great is this?'" Conti said. "We're at the Big 33 game and we're getting the highest honor you can be awarded. I felt good."

Conti, heading headlong into his fourth season as the Slippery Rock High School football coach after spending 22 years roaming the sidelines for Clarion-Limestone, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame at a banquet the night before the Big 33 game.

Saturday was spent letting it all sink in.

It was an honor that was in many ways unexpected by Conti, who has compiled a 159-83-3 record in 25 seasons of coaching, including a 23-12 record and two District 10 championships in three seasons at Slippery Rock.

Seeing his name alongside some of the greats - icons of coaching, Conti calls them - was a very surreal and humbling experience for the coach.

"They can't take it back, I guess," Conti said, laughing.

Conti wore a Slippery Rock High School baseball hat on the sideline and chose a red stone in his Hall-of-Fame ring in honor of the Rockets.

"I'm proud of where I'm from," Conti said. "It was all very humbling. The kids we've had at Clarion-Limestone and Slippery Rock all bought into the team and team chemistry. Coaches will talk about that a lot, but there is a lot to it."

Conti was most humbled by being in the same hallowed place as his high school coach at Freeport, Don Earley.

Conti was also pleased to get a chance to talk to some of the coaching legends in attendance, including former Butler coach Art Bernardi.

But having many of his family and friends in attendance was hard to top.

"Like anything else, if you have the chance to share it with your family and significant other, that makes it special," Conti said.

Conti's eldest son, Chad, introduced him.

As Chad was giving his speech, he dropped a few words that echoed with his father.

"Your name is on everything you do," Chad said in his speech.

It is a line often spoken by Clyde Conti. Hearing his son say those same words gave him a chill.

"I guess he was paying attention a little bit to what I was saying after all," Clyde Conti said.

Conti's mind also wandered to his beginnings in coaching.

He recalled starting as a 22-year-old at a school that hadn't won a football game.

He recalled that team then winning the conference championship the next season.

"All those things were flashing into my head," Conti said.

His mind also wandered forward to the upcoming fall.

"I was also thinking about how we were going to move the ball this season," Conti said, chuckling.

When the Hall of Fame class of 2005 banner was unfurled and his name flashed before him, he got chills again.

Conti said an important part of the induction ceremony to him was getting the chance to mention the people who got him there.

"I'm not one to write speeches," Conti said. "It gave me an opportunity to talk about a lot of people."

Conti also got a chance to talk to Butler offensive lineman Nate Hartung, who was one of the captains for the Pennsylvania team.

Hartung, who is Mormon, will start his two-year mission soon. After he concludes his mission, he plans on resuming his football career in college.

"The way the kid handles himself is really impressive," Conti said. "He didn't embarrass himself. His parents must be really proud. He's obviously got his life priorities in order and he got to walk out to the 50-yard line at the Big 33 Game as a captain. That shows you how much everyone thought of him."

Unfortunately, Hartung's Pennsylvania team fell behind 28-7 in the first quarter and lost to Ohio 34-28 at Hersheypark Stadium.

It may be the final Big 33 game in its current form.

Because of new NCAA rules, the game may be held in June next season and may pit Pennsylvania against another state.

There is also talk of the game moving from Hersheypark Stadium to Heinz Field.

Conti said he hopes the game doesn't change too much.

"The game is wonderful," Conti said. "It's just a great experience for the kids. (If it's not there), there would be a little vacuum."

Conti, though, plans to attend the Hall-of-Fame induction ceremonies and Big 33 game many more times, no matter where or in what form they are in.

"This is something I want to do each year," Conti said. "I want to see some of the other worthy coaches in this area have the experience I had."