Meet one of the people who are stitching together footballs for the Super Bowl
'You know the whole world is watching this game and that ball that you made,' says football stitcher Wayva Hom
When Super Bowl LIV kicks off on Sunday, Wayva Hom's job will literally be on the line — the 35-yard line to be exact.
Hom is a stitcher at the Wilson Football Factory in Ada, Ohio. The plant has been producing the footballs used in the Super Bowl for more than 50 years.
"We take a lot of time to do it and a lot of pride in doing it to make sure we make the perfect ball for the game," Hom told As It Happens host Carol Off.
It's not your typical factory assembly line at the Ada plant. Hom says each ball is made by hand, and attention to detail is key.
"It's a physical job. It's hard on the hands and arms, but it's a hard job I love to do," Hom said. "Most of our people have worked here for several years."
Even scandals like so-called "deflategate" in 2014 — when the New England Patriots were accused of intentionally tampering with the balls — don't faze phase the veteran staff.
"We know we make them like they should be," Hom said. "They go out the way they should go out. Whatever happens after that, we don't know."
Hom says the plant produces about 150 balls a day. Each team will get 108 balls apiece for the Super Bowl game.
"They use certain ones for kickers and then certain ones out on the field too," Hom said.
"A lot of players will keep a ball if they've made a touchdown or throw one up into the crowd. They have to make sure they have plenty."
Contrary to popular belief, Hom says the balls are made out of stitched panels of cow hide — not pig skin.
"I've always heard it called a pig skin," Hom said, "even though it's not."
Hom is a big Denver Broncos fan. So when the San Fransisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs take to the field on Sunday, she says she will reluctantly root for the Chiefs.
But even without her team in the mix, Hom will still be watching from the edge of her seat.
"It makes you feel really good and proud to know that you had a hand in making the ball that's out there on that field," Hom said. "You know the whole world is watching this game and that ball that you made."
Hom says that pride extends to the whole town of Ada.
"They have the water tower here that's got Wilson Sporting Goods right on the water tower in the middle of town," she said. "So it's a big deal for the town."
Written by John McGill. Interview produced by Kevin Robertson.