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5 Ways Frankenmuth is Flying High

February 7, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

FRANKENMUTH – In a section of stands nearest the door to welcome all who enter Frankenmuth’s gym, the first Battle of the Fans champion was born five years ago.

The seventh graders that winter of 2012 are seniors now. And the Eagles on Friday were seeking to add the title of first two-time champion to that original BOTF banner as we finished up this year’s finalists tour with our fifth and last stop.  

The breakdown: This was our third visit to Frankenmuth in six years of Battle of the Fans. The student section hasn’t come up with a catchy name for itself, but it certainly has a reputation across the Saginaw and Thumb areas for the raucous atmosphere it creates during games, along with plenty of singing, dancing and general silliness. The Eagles always had decent student support for their successful football and girls and boys basketball teams, but amped up the organization, excitement and following five years ago – just in time to win that first BOTF title.

This trip, we met with seniors Megan Watkins, Shafer Webb, Kris Roche, Dalton Enequist and Jackie Weess, and juniors Kyle Robinson and Sam Tagget for the Eagles’ boys basketball game against Millington. Below is our video and takeaways after another visit with our first BOTF champion.

1. They’re carrying on a legacy.

That 2012 championship is a point of pride, at least for this year’s leaders, and perhaps especially to Webb and Robinson – their older brothers led Frankenmuth's section when it won the inaugural contest. The Eagles were a BOTF finalist in 2013 as well, but not again until this season. Students still turned out to support their classmates at games, but it took a driven leadership group to help the section step back into contention. Roche said the effort was kicked off with a hype video played during the “Friday Feed,” a weekly video show played school-wide. Leaders have worked closely clearing everything – themes, cheers, wild halftime shows (see below) – with athletic director Kevin Schwedler. Excitement started building during football season, and the turning point was the team’s trip and caravan that followed to Marquette for a Division 5 Semifinal at the Superior Dome. “Being on the sideline looking up at that crowd, it was easy to realize that we had a student body that was excited about being in the student section,” said Roche, a standout fullback and linebacker. “You don’t travel six and a half hours for a high school game if you don’t have pride in your school and want to be a part of it.”

2. They don’t care about being cool.

If you show up in normal clothes, you’re going to be the one looking ridiculous. That’s a direct quote from one of the leaders, and it remains true as much as it was evident during our first visit five years ago. The Eagles take their themes seriously, and the weirder the better. “That’s the biggest thing, trying to get the underclassmen out of their shells, realizing you don’t have to be all self-conscious and what not coming into high school,” Tagget said. “The whole point of the student section is to look as ridiculous as possible when you walk out into that set of bleachers.”

3. United, they stand.  

Frankenmuth has 530 students, and at least half of them loaded the stands for Friday’s game. Granted, it was against rival Millington, but leaders boast that they bring a higher percentage of the student body to most games than other schools and rally as well to support a girls basketball team that has won 105 straight league games although often those contests are played midweek instead of Fridays. Even some of the parents got in the game for “costume night” with jerseys on top and lederhosen below. Coaches for both basketball teams have thanked the section for its support this season, and the solidarity with those teams is obvious from section leaders’ involvement in pregame introductions to their near-constant support throughout the game. It's common for student sections to have dances/stunts/skits planned for breaks. But what sets the elite sections apart is how they engage in cheering for their teams during play. Frankenmuth was all in on every possession from start to finish, chanting names of their classmates after they scored, celebrating baskets even when the final result had long been decided, and mixing in a little German chant for made free throws. 

4. Eagles treat student section like another sport.

All seven leaders who met with us play at least one sport. They see the student section as another, which explains their competitive pursuit of the BOTF title. Watkins has spent more time editing videos over the last month than working on her golf game – although she’s playing that sport next year when she moves on to Western Michigan University. And like with our other finalists this year, getting the section ready from week to week and especially for the BOTF visit was a group effort fueled by high expectations. “We hold ourselves to a standard of excellence, and for every sport the goal is a championship,” Roche said. “This is our Super Bowl. We’re here to win.”

5. They’re always on their game.

In this case, that means a couple of things. Frankenmuth brings plenty of originality to the table, with theme nights like “Lit-mas” (think Lit + Christmas) and Friday's  “Costume Night,” which saw a mix of German garb highlighting the town’s heritage but also a variety of costumes and signs that defined random. What they did do together was cheer from before tipoff through the end of a 36-point win – and as was the case during our visits in 2012 and 2013, every break in the action at a Frankenmuth game is an opportunity to sing and dance, this time featuring everything from Miley Cyrus to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” We’re hesitant to explain halftime, even if leaders assured us they were “professionals” before rolling out mats and taking part in a WWE-style wrestling match complete with body slams and metal chairs. Kids, don’t try this at home – or at your schools without prior administrative approval.

In their words

Teachable moments: “I think with high school and everything in general nowadays, there’s a stereotype of how you should act, how you should dress,” Watkins said. “The freshman girls look at the senior girls, and I remember when I was a freshman and I saw the seniors, and they didn’t care – they wanted to express themselves and be who they are. And I think that’s why with our themes we dress crazy and we’re all different. … You grow into yourself and you have that confidence about you. We’re all athletes and we all understand that you have to live life with a little bit of confidence with our sports, with our grades, everything. (The section) kinda taught us that over the years; it’s just a student section, but it means a lot more than what people think it would.”

This was the goal: “Growing up, I always had my eyes on the student section,” Tagget said. “To be honest I never had any idea what it was. I just thought it was people going crazy in the stands. But I grew up with Kyle (Robinson), and being around his brother, he was the laughing-stock. And watching him lead the student section, I said that’s what I want to do when I get to high school.”

Tradition will live on: “We’ve got these (juniors), and they know the standard they have to hold, not only for themselves and the other leaders, but every student,” Roche said. “My little brother is going to be a freshman next year, and all his friends are beyond excited about their opportunity. And I think the excitement around here in the community, it’s real again. I don’t think we’re going be going away for a long time.”

Next up on BOTF: With all five visits complete, public voting for this year’s champion will begin Feb. 13 on the MHSAA’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds and continue through Feb. 16. To vote, like, retweet and/or share the photo of your favorite student section. The winner will be announced Feb. 17 on Second Half, and representatives from all five finalists will be invited March 24 to the Class B Boys Basketball Semifinals at the Breslin Center, where the winner will receive this year’s championship banner.  Click for coverage of our visits to Boyne City on Jan. 13, Traverse City West on Jan. 20, Charlotte on Jan. 28 and Petoskey on Feb. 1.

The Battle of the Fans is sponsored in part by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.           

PHOTOS: (Top) Frankenmuth students fill their section of bleachers for Friday's Battle of the Fans visit. (Middle) Students decked out for "Costume Night" cheer on the Eagles to a win over Millington. (Photos by Chip DeGrace.)

Scholars and Athletes 2015: Class B

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 9, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected eight student-athletes from Class B member schools to receive scholarships through its Scholar-Athlete Award program.  

Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 26th year of sponsoring the award, will give $1,000 college scholarships to 32 individuals who represent their member schools in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees which can come from any classification.

Each of the scholarship recipients will be honored at halftime ceremonies of the Class C Boys Basketball Final game March 28 at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing. Commemorative medallions will be given to the finalists in recognition of their accomplishments.

The Class B Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Kirstin Anderson, Charlotte; Kelsey Cushway, Big Rapids; Kalabrya LeBrae Gondrezick, Benton Harbor; Amanda Paull, Cheboygan; Jonathan Krug, New Boston Huron; Stephen Luckoff, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood; Dane Miller, Dearborn Divine Child; and Francis Misra, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood.

Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class B Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:

Kirstin Anderson, Charlotte
Played two seasons each of varsity volleyball and basketball and will run her fourth this spring of track and field; also ran varsity cross country as a sophomore. Served as co-captain of both the volleyball and basketball teams as a senior and earned all-conference honorable mention in the fall in addition to all-state all-academic honors. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and this school year as vice president. Attained level of AP Scholar with Honor based on her scores on College Board Advanced Placement exams. Served on student council all four years of high school and also performed four years in her marching, concert and symphony bands; named drum major two years and section leader in the symphony band as a senior. Also participated in Harvard Model Congress, MyLead Leadership and the Rotary International Leadership Camp, and co-created her school’s chapter of the Rotary Interact teen service organization. Will attend Hope College and study business and political science.

Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship, at its heart, is not about the person exhibiting it. It is about the effects it has on the people around him or her. Sportsmanship is an intangible quality that makes an athlete instantly admirable and recognizable.”

Kelsey Cushway, Big Rapids
Played two seasons of varsity volleyball, varsity basketball as a junior, and will play her fourth season of varsity softball and first of varsity soccer this spring. Will serve as softball captain for the third season and earned all-league honors in that sport. Helped volleyball team to a District title in the fall. Serving fourth year in student government with terms as mayor and secretary of the executive board. Played in marching band and chamber ensembles all four years and is a two-year section leader; received division one performance ratings at district and state levels. Participated in National Honor Society the last two years, serving as president, and in Key Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions and her school’s “Climate Crew” community outreach group. Will attend either the University of Chicago or Western Michigan University, and plans to study biomedical sciences.

Essay Quote: “When dealing with all of these experiences, we are given the chance to develop our character in a way that produces a confident yet humble competitor. The ability to embody not only a gracious winner but an equally accepting loser is one that signifies the importance of sportsmanship within educational athletics.”

Kalabrya LeBrae Gondrezick, Benton Harbor
Playing fourth season of varsity basketball, played one of varsity volleyball and ran one season of varsity cross country. Served as basketball team’s captain three seasons and has earned all-state honors after her first three. Also has earned academic honor awards three times and served as the cross country team’s captain. Has served as her class president all four years and participated all four in National Honor Society; is on pace to graduate as her class’ valedictorian. Named semifinalist for the national Coca-Cola Scholarship Program award. Presented at national seminar as part of Michigan’s Safe and Supportive Schools initiative and served on the Benton Harbor Teen Advisory Council. Also served as a peer mediation leader all four years and participated in the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Delta Gems for four years. Will attend Michigan State University to study communications and has signed a letter of intent to play basketball.

Essay Quote: “I honor competition by being an ambassador on and off the court. Compete like a warrior with the class of a lady. … The character of sportsmanship will lose its identity if student-athletes don’t wear sportsmanship in their performance and voice of leadership.”

Amanda Paull, Cheboygan
Ran four years of varsity cross country and will play her fourth season of varsity soccer this spring; also played on the varsity hockey team as a sophomore. Finished among top two in her conference every season of cross country and placed among the top 48 of her MHSAA Finals all four seasons with a best of 28th as a freshman. Made all-state in soccer as a junior after earning honorable mentions her first two seasons. Also earned academic varsity letters all four years of high school and is a two-year member of the National Honor Society. Served on her school’s student council her first two years of high school and on the MHSAA’s Student Advisory Council the last two years. Selected for Rotary International’s leadership camp. Competed on a national-qualifying DECA business club team as a junior.  Will attend Ferris State University to study biology with an emphasis on pre-dentistry; also has signed a letter of intent to play soccer.

Essay Quote: “Whether it be shaking your opponent’s hand after a game, encouraging a fellow runner or rallying and coming together as a sports community, sportsmanship is important on all levels reminding us why we play: because we love it.”

Jonathan Krug, New Boston Huron
Played three seasons of varsity football and will run his third season of track and field this spring. Captained the football team to District and Regional championships in the fall and led the team in tackles in earning all-state honors. Served on student council the last three years and participated in National Honor Society the last two. Also participating in Quiz Bowl and Students Against Destructive Decisions this school year. Served as a middle school mentor for three years as part of his school’s Fuel Youth Group and also served as a team leader on various youth group mission trips and for the Downriver Middle School youth group. Will attend of the University of Michigan at Dearborn and study engineering.

Essay Quote: “This past season I had 65 tackles, and for every single one of those tackles, I lent a hand and picked up the person who I tackled. When I would do this, the other team would be surprised and actually thanked me for helping them. I did this because I wanted to show the other team that I am human too, and I understand what it means to get knocked down.”

Stephen Luckoff, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
Played four seasons of varsity soccer and will play his fourth of varsity lacrosse this spring; also played varsity basketball as a junior. Served as soccer team’s captain and earned all-state second-team honors. Served as president and lead facilitator of Bridge the Divide Club uniting those living in Detroit and its suburbs and is participating as a youth intern for the second year for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion. Founded Motor City Lacrosse and volunteered four years for the Miracle League Baseball Organization. Served as head student leader of Horizons-Upward Bound tutoring program and volunteered four years for Feedom Freedom urban farming program. Will attend the University of Michigan and study finance.

Essay Quote: “For many, many years, I was blinded by the final results of my games and matches, blinded from the true meaning of my athletics. My tunnel vision made it very difficult for me to step out of my own shoes and fully embed myself with the morals and knowledge that athletics can teach. … As I move forward with my life, I seek to cherish every moment I have, every relationship I create, and every step I take.”

Dane Miller, Dearborn Divine Child
Ran four years of varsity cross country and will run fourth of varsity track and field this spring. Served as cross country team captain the last two seasons and helped it to three Regional titles over four seasons while earning all-area and academic all-state honors the last two. Helped track and field team to a Regional title in 2012 and earned all-area recognition last season. Attained AP Scholar with Honor and National Merit Scholar Commended Student recognitions and achieved a perfect score (36) on his ACT college entrance exam. Also named a National Hispanic Recognition Program scholar and participated two years in Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica. Tutored all four years at Kumon Math and Reading Center and raised nine puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind. Will attend the University of Michigan and study electrical engineering.

Essay Quote: “I have always had an idea of what sportsmanship is and the importance for it in athletics. However, I was never able to fully wrap my mind around what it really meant until I experienced a devastating failure as a freshman. … This experience taught me a valuable lesson about sportsmanship: the importance of putting others before myself.”

Francis Misra, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
Swimming his fourth season on his school’s varsity, this winter as captain. Qualified for the MHSAA Finals his first three seasons, helping the Cranes to their first MHSAA team championship, in Lower Peninsula Division 3, last season. Earned all-state honors in seven events over three seasons; swam as part of the winning 200-yard medley relay in 2014. Also swam to four individual league titles and as part of four relays that won championships. Founded a team for National Kidney Foundation walk that raised more than $18,000, and also recruited a combined 180 walkers for multiple fundraising events. Volunteered for Horizons-Upward Bound as a swim instructor and academic tutor, and as a swim instructor for his local Make a Splash program; also volunteered for Special Olympics Swim-a-Thon. Earned his school’s Shin/Welch Award “for outstanding leadership and citizenship.” Will attend the University of Michigan and study film production.

Essay Quote: “I thought that winning feeling I shared amongst my teammates was the best I could ever feel. But I was wrong. … My teammates and I realized that sportsmanship extends beyond the athletic arena.” 

Other Class B girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Kendall Latshaw, Battle Creek Harper Creek; Shelby Bowers, Coldwater; Riley Blair, Dearborn Divine Child; Rebecca Piron, Escanaba; Raven Jefferson-Brinkley, Ferndale; Morgan Ketola, Freeland; Rachel Money, Grayling; Courtney Vande Vorde, Hamilton; Kikel Sekoni, Haslett; Kristen Marsman, Holland Christian; Jenna Davids, Portland; and Kelsey Metzger, Sturgis.  

Other Class B boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Samuel Swem, Buchanan; T.J. Baker, Cadillac; Derek Sturvist, Cheboygan; Tyler James Burkhardt, Fowlerville; Andrew Olesak, Gladstone; Bradley Madsen, Manistee; Tyler Horn, Marshall; Chandler Biggs, Midland Bullock Creek; Jacob Almeda, Plainwell; Trenton L. Monroe, Plainwell; Mark Williamson, Spring Lake; and Garrett Bondy, Yale. 

Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.

The Class C and D scholarship award recipients were announced Feb. 3, and the Class A honorees will be announced Feb. 17.

Farm Bureau Insurance, one of Michigan's major insurers, has a statewide force of 450 agents serving nearly 500,000 Michigan policyholders. Besides providing life, home, auto, farm, business and retirement insurance, the company also sponsors life-saving, real-time Doppler weather tracking systems in several Michigan communities.             

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.