Battle of the Fans: Halftime is G.R. Christian's Time
January 29, 2012
GRAND RAPIDS – For many high school hoops fans, halftime is a break – perhaps an opportunity to grab a pop or some popcorn, catch up with old friends, or at least take a seat and catch a breath.
But for the Grand Rapids Christian student cheering section, it’s no time for rest. Those 10 minutes might be when Eagle Nation does its best work.
For this “Battle of the Fans” finalist and its six senior leaders, halftime is their time. Some schools play music between halves, or run contests on the floor. At Grand Rapids Christian, everyone knows that after two quarters of supporting the play on the court, the halftime action is in the stands.
It’s cheer after cheer after cheer, with only a few 20-second breaks along the way.
“People get into it, and it’s over in a flash,” senior Jesse Ludema said.
“We frown on down time,” senior Evan Metcalf added. “You can have down time when you get home.”
Grand Rapids Christian is one of five finalists for the MHSAA Student Advisory Council’s “Battle of the Fans” competition. MHSAA staff visited both the Eagles and Reese on Friday after starting the tour Jan. 21 at Frankenmuth. Trips will be made to both Rockford and Petoskey over the next three weeks, with videos posted of all five finalists on the MHSAA Facebook page. After an online vote and SAC discussion, the winner will be announced on Feb. 24. Clips from all five MHSAA-produced videos will be shown during the Girls and Boys Basketball Finals in March at the Breslin Center.
Eagle Nation prides itself on bringing the same enthusiasm to every game. But it was tough to ignore the extra juice Friday, with Grand Rapids Christian facing rival East Grand Rapids. The schools are just 2.5 miles apart, and their two football games this fall received hype statewide.
Eagle Nation’s senior leaders contributed in those grudge matches as well – but from their spots in the stands. “Our school is better served with us in the stands than on the field,” senior Joe Schierbeek laughed.
Ludema sarcastically agreed: “They don’t need my ‘huge’ muscles; they need our loud voices.”
So what happened when Grand Rapids Christian’s second-quarter buzzer sounded?
Students go bananas in a cheer led by costumed senior leader Cody Powers. Each Eagles class – seniors through freshmen – takes its turn doing a collective hip shake, a favorite in the Eagle’s Nest. A boxer throws left and right uppercuts before landing a knockout blow that falls the entire section backward. And on this night, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo was in attendance and got some love from Eagle Nation – although it is only unconfirmed speculation that Izzo was there to check in on the “Battle of the Fans” craze.
Eagle Nation plans a theme for every home game, and Friday was all about neon. More than 400 students packed the sections behind the north basket, glowing in all hues of neon covering T-shirts, tank tops, pants, socks and head bands. Those six leaders each wore a hot pink tank top, with one letter painted on each spelling E-A-G-L-E-S. With help of the administration, the leaders even sold bright $1 bandannas to everyone in the student section to top off the neon look. Even the basketball team got into the act: Players surprised their classmates by wearing neon-green ankle tape and those same neon bandannas during warm-ups.
While Eagle Nation had been loud in the past, this level of organization debuted this school year. Before, the students were always told to just cheer louder, but without much of a plan. Now, there’s a Facebook group. Theme nights are mentioned with other school announcements. On Friday, leaders held a lunchtime pep assembly for student section members, and they had a similar training assembly with eighth graders earlier last week.
Leaders also take seriously the word “Christian” spelled out in the name on their team's uniforms. Being an example of their faith is a priority.
“People don’t see what happens in our school every day. And when they come to games, they see our student section, and they take that as an example of who we are as a school,” Powers said. “So we want to show them who are, and that’s why we value character.”
“That’s not to say we don’t get rowdy, though,” Schierbeek quickly interjected.
In the end, it’s all about having fun – a theme that played loudly in Frankenmuth as well. Metcalf watched the Frankenmuth video with a big smile. “Let’s visit them,” he said. "We can have a fan section dance party.”
But first the focus is on winning the “Battle of the Fans,” which to this student section is its “state finals.”
With his voice almost gone, Ludema gave some advice to the other finalists.
“Cheer loud,” he said. “And get some throat lozenges.”
View Grand Rapids Christian's application video, created by GRCHS senior Andrew Pruim.
PHOTOS by Grand Rapids Christian junior Janina Pollatz.Report by the MHSAA's Andy Frushour.
SAC Sounds Off on School Sports
By
Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
February 17, 2017
By Rob Kaminski
MHSAA benchmarks editor
During a school year in which much of the focus is on, and coming from, student-athletes in Michigan and around the country, what better stage is there on which to showcase the MHSAA Student Advisory Council?
Following are thoughts and opinions from various SAC members as they relate to defining and defending educational athletics.
Jack Donnelly
Ottawa Lake Whiteford senior
Football, Baseball
Role as a SAC Member: “As an SAC member, I’ve learned a lot about being a good student and good role model for others. I try to bring back the points that I learn from our sessions to the team that I am on; to set a good example for others, especially the underclassmen. I figure if the underclassmen learn it now, it will only help them later.”
School Sports vs. Non-School: “I love the school spirit that things like the ‘Battle of the Fans’ emphasize. School sports should be about spirit and communities.”
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “The best part of high school sports, I feel, is being part of a team and the enjoyment that comes from being a close-knit group. There are lots of guys who I’ve been playing football with now since the third grade. That’s a bond that will last forever.”
Lindsay Duca
East Grand Rapids senior
Volleyball, Lacrosse
Role as a SAC Member: “Reminding and encouraging my teammates on the field/court as well as my fellow peers in the student section – a unique component of school sports – to cultivate an amicable surrounding for all of those engaging in the competition is a constant duty I perform to help my school emulate MHSAA values.”
School Sports vs. Non-School: “High school sports are played by student-athletes, and the academic component of that title always takes priority. This gives high school sports a healthier and more balanced environment as schoolwork and academic achievement are equally important, something that is entirely disregarded in club, rec, and even often college athletics. Playing for the fun of the game and appreciating each teammate as integral to the success of the team I think are also essential elements of high school sports that make it such a quality and genuine experience.”
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “I love the sense of community that school sports foster, one that can not only be seen around the high school but enveloping the entire town. Playing for the name written on your jersey, one that has been worn and passed down by past players who loved the game just like you, gives you a purpose, a more meaningful sense of belonging and identity than just a kid on a court. That is a pretty special opportunity.”
Cade Smeznik
Yale senior
Football, Basketball, Baseball
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “I enjoy the fans and intensity of the games. The fans make a real difference in games because when you have a huge crowd cheering you on, you want to give them a good game. The fans can also dictate how a game can go, like in basketball when you have a loud crazy student section, opponents get intimated and it hypes you and your teammates up and can swing the game in your favor.”
School vs. Non-School: “There's no better feeling than playing in front of your hometown under the lights on Friday night or on any night, especially rivalry games or playoff games which bring most of the community together and create such an intense atmosphere you can't help but love it.”
Sydney Hanson
Alma junior
Cross Country, Basketball, Soccer
Role as a SAC Member: “As a SAC member I feel like it's my job to display myself as a leader in my sports, and support all the other sports. I need to convey a demeanor that motivates my school to follow MHSAA messages. Also, I will try to take opportunities I get to teach students about what MHSAA really is about, because many don't really know what it is.”
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “I most enjoy the team aspect of sports. I love the bond that is created with my teammates and how if you are a close-knit team, it shows in your performance.”
Hunter Gandee
Temperance Bedford junior
Wrestling
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “I enjoy the bonding between teammates. Bonding that doesn't just happen on the field but also in the classroom, and at other athletic and non-athletic events. I also enjoy the sense of pride for one’s high school and holding up traditions.”
Marissa Immel
Munising senior
Volleyball, Tennis, Basketball, Golf, Track & Field
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “I really enjoy competing and working with my teammates to achieve our goals. I also enjoy meeting new people and making friends with opposing players!”
Alex Janosi
Dexter senior
Swimming, Water Polo
Role as a SAC Member: “I can do a lot by doing the right thing at a high level. By competing at a high level of play, most of the eyes are on such athletes. Doing simple things to show what sports are really about make a big impact on the high school community. From simply shaking someone's hand to running a sportsmanship summit, I can do a lot as a SAC member.”
School Sports vs. Non-School: “I think the big thing is just knowing why you play sports. We play to get energy out and have fun. At the higher levels, it's a job and adds more stress to the player's life.”
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “I enjoy being part of community that supports everyone. It's fun to be able to play for all those people you represent and to know they will be there for you.”
Darby Dean
Lowell junior
Football (Fr., Soph.), Soccer, Basketball
Role as a SAC Member: “To deliver the right message to our communities, we need to cultivate a motivated group of students within our communities who have the same thoughts and ideas as to what high school sports offer.”
School Sports vs. Non-School: “A few things that are a part of high school sports that lack in other levels are a sense of investment to a certain activity, the idea of wearing and taking pride in your school and community colors, and civic mindedness. As compared to club sports or recreational sports, I believe high school sports give an opportunity to high schoolers to honor their school and their community colors in something bigger than themselves. Not only that, but it gives the chance for kids to work with kids they have grown up around for the majority of their lives.”
Most Enjoyable Aspects: “Again, I believe one of my favorite parts about high school sports is being able to represent my school and community in something bigger than myself. Also, I believe nothing beats the feeling of winning a big game against a rival with my best friends right on the field with me.”
PHOTO: East Grand Rapids’ Lindsay Duca (22), a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, looks for an open teammate during last season’s Girls Lacrosse Division 2 Final.