The Lincoln High School football team was playing with heavy hearts on Friday night after learning that the school's former, longtime athletic director Sid Wright died Friday, hours before its game at Huron.

Wright’s time at Lincoln Consolidated Schools stretched back more than 50 years, to his days as a three-sport student-athlete in football, basketball and track, according to a eulogy at the Lincoln website. After graduating in 1962, Wright attended Eastern Michigan University before returning to his alma mater to student teach.

He didn't leave again until his retirement in the summer of 2009.

Along with serving as the school's athletic director, Wright was the team's track coach for 32 years and also had coaching stints in wrestling, football, basketball, track and cross country.

When Eve Claar was named as Wright's successor, she told AnnArbor.com that her first task was figuring out everything Wright did at the school.

“We kind of call it the Sid Factor,” Claar said. “We run into things no one knew he did, because he was here so long. He was here around the clock, so many people came to depend on that.”

Members of the Lincoln community are sharing their memories of Wright on a Facebook page set up in his honor.

Prior to kickoff Friday night, Huron athletic director Dottie Davis fought back tears as she read a eulogy and asked the crowd at Riverbank Stadium to observe a moment of silence for the man she called a mentor.

“We’ve all learned a lot from Sid and his experience is what we’re really going to miss,” Davis said.

Kevin Murphy, who ran track for Wright in the early 80s, remembered him as a coach who never let up, always demanded the best from his runners. Lincoln parents recalled Wright as an athletic director who made sure to support even the less popular sports at Lincoln.

“Mr. Wright wasn’t always easy on us, but he always wanted the best out of us,” Murphy said. “You knew he wanted the best for you.”

Lincoln football coach Chris Westfall, whom Wright hired, estimated that his old boss took as much as a decade off his life being dedicated to the athletic program.

“I’d come in on Sunday and he was there. I’d come in early or stay late, and he was there. He was absolutely committed to our success,” Westfall said.

Per Wright’s wishes, there will be no funeral services and his body will be cremated.