What started out as a time filler while adjusting to his new life as a retiree quickly turned into a passion for Mark Condit.

The 1981 Manteca High graduate now wants to compare notes and learn from other sports public address announcers from the area and beyond.

On Aug. 20, he is co-hosting the inaugural Announcer Con at Mountain Mike’s Pizza on 1120 N. Main Street in Manteca. Joining him is Dave Dilla, who lends his voice to Manteca High home games in various sports.

“When I retired, my wife (Kristen) said, ‘We’re going to need some stuff for you to do,,’” Condit said.

He is heading into year 3 of his retirement after a three-decade career with the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

“I told her to keep her hands off my retirement. I was just going to golf, hike, golf, hike, golf hike — those are my two hobbies.”

Kristen discovered that the new high school in Lathrop, River Islands, was going to be starting varsity sports and would likely need a PA announcer for home games.

Having once called his daughter Makenna’s powder puff game at Manteca High, Condit thought it could be fun.

“When Justin and Carey called me, they had me on speaker phone and I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be there,’ before they could even ask a question,” he said of his brief interview with River Islands athletic director Justin Graham and Carey Simoni.

Condit has since been “The Voice” of the Riptide — as advertised on a custom-made jersey he wears at home games — for football and boys and girls basketball the past two years.

That means he got to call some historic moments for the school’s fledgling sports program, such as the first football game on campus when the press table was set on scaffolding behind temporary bleachers and the scoreboard was suspended by a crane.

Condit looks forward to settling in at the press box of the now-completed stadium this fall, and he may call some girls volleyball matches to get acquainted with the new surroundings at the completed main gym on campus.

Last fall, the makeshift stadium press box moved to the other side on what is now the away section. Volleyball and basketball contests were held at the River Islands Community Gym.

Condit feels very much a part of the River Islands High community. In late May, the school held its inaugural Riptide ESPYS and presented him with the Riptide Service Award.

“It’s been fantastic,” Condit said. “The way I see (PA announcing), that’s what the yearbook is for every kid who wants to see their name and face in it. For football and basketball games, I try to include as many of the kids’ names I can, and the parents will come say they love it and are appreciative. It’s been cool.”

Condit wants to keep improving in this new pastime.

That’s what the Announcer Con is for.

“(Dilla) and I love to compare notes, so we want to use this as an opportunity to ask others, ‘What’s your best hack?’” Condit said. “Dave usually has a pregame script written out, so I picked that up from him.

“He and I have talked about everything, from taping rosters up, to having spotter or when you do baseball, or when you do baseball, using binder clips to put on your book because the wind is always blowing.”

So far, only a handful from the area have answered Condit’s call, including Joe Simas of Sierra and Walter Fassler from Ripon. The hope is for this to be an annual gathering before the start of the high school football season.

This year’s Announcer Con will start at 6 p.m. Anyone interested in joining may RSVP with Condit at 209-470-2540.

“It’s a shot in the dark. We’ll see what happens,” Condit said. “If only 10 people show up, great. Right now, it’s five, and if it stays that way then cool. We’ll have fun with it.”