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SAC Sound-off: Cheers to Remember

January 31, 2012

The Izzone. Cameron Crazies. Maize Rage. All of these student section names are synonymous with energy and enthusiasm. Every school, no matter how big or small, has fans just like these who want to support their schools’ student athletes.

For the MHSAA Student Advisory Council's “Battle of the Fans,” we set out to find high school student sections that not only supported their schools, but did so in a creative manner. Fifteen council members and I judged the submitted videos on organization, leadership, creativity and noise.

As I watched, some cheers really stuck out. Saginaw Valley Lutheran High had a cheer that praised Jesus not only for its team, but also the opponent. Rockford took the “I Believe” cheer to another level, using roughly 50 bottles of baby powder to create a minute-long haze over the field while screaming "I believe that we will win!"

Not only has this competition been a huge success so far with nearly 20 entries, but it really hit home for me.

As a senior at Grand Blanc High School, I have waited four years to stand in the front row and lead our student section – with two of my best friends – for football and basketball games. For us, Friday nights at “The Frank,” our home football stadium, are some of the most fun times of the year.

As a student section, we valiantly attempted to create a fun atmosphere and support our fellow students. We did things like costume night over Halloween weekend to get our section going. Although things like this were way past fun, we were at these games to support our classmates and friends.

Throughout my senior year, the times I have had in the student section have created a bond with my fellow students unlike anything I have done before. These moments will last me a lifetime, and the camaraderie has helped me form friendships that will last forever.

After I was done judging all of the videos, it was so difficult for me to pick just five. I knew every single person, in every student section, was having a great time and creating wonderful memories. For that reason, I encourage every student to go out and cheer on your classmates. You will have more fun than you could ever imagine. As one of my favorite quotes exclaims, "It isn't how many breaths you take, but how many moments take your breath away."

It could be the raucous atmosphere created after a triple-overtime playoff win, or a bond forged in the tension of a nail-biter against a cross-town rival. These moments and friendships in a student cheering section will be everlasting.

Bailey Truesdell, Grand Blanc senior

  • Sport: Golf
  • Non-sports activities: National Honor Society, DECA leadership program, Tutoring
  • Favorite class: Student Store
  • Must-see TV: "Entourage"
  • One shining moment: My best sports moment was winning my first-ever high school golf tournament as a freshman.
  • What’s next: After high school, I will be attending Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, to play golf and study business finance.
  • My favorite part of game day is: … the thoughts that run through my mind all day prior to when I take to the course, mostly speculating as to how I will do, and visualizing my plan to succeed.

PHOTO courtesy of Bailey Truesdell (middle, in flannel shirt, with Grand Blanc's cheering section during a football game this fall).

#BOTF VI: Finalists Ready for 'Battle'

January 9, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Last year’s champion is back. So is the first to hoist a Battle of the Fans banner.

And sticking with the familiar, two more past contenders are looking to take the final step and be named Michigan’s best high school student cheering section.

But watch out as well for a first-timer that has broken into the mix – and will host the first stop on this winter’s finalists tour.

Let the “Battle” begin.

Battle of the Fans VI, organized by MHSAA staff and its 16-member Student Advisory Council, will reward the cheering section that best creates the positive and festive atmosphere made possible when students show enthusiasm, togetherness and sportsmanship while rooting for their team. MHSAA staff and Student Advisory Council members will visit all five finalists for home boys basketball games during the second half of this regular season, with coverage and video from those visits and the announcement of the winner all to be published on Second Half.

Schools were invited in December to submit short videos, via YouTube, of their cheering sections in action. The winner will be announced Feb. 17, and video of all five sections will be played on the Breslin Center HD scoreboard during the Girls and Boys Basketball Finals in March. The champion and finalists also will be recognized during the Boys Semifinals on March 24.

This year’s group of finalists is mostly a mix of familiar contenders with a new hopeful joining in. Reigning champion Traverse City West is a finalist for the third time, as is Frankenmuth – the champion of the inaugural Battle of the Fans in 2012. Charlotte and Petoskey are finalists for the second time, while Boyne City is making its debut among the top five.

Although no Class D schools applied this year, the 24 entries were spread almost evenly over the other three classes – seven from Class A, nine from Class B and eight from Class C. Seven schools got at least one first-place vote and 16 received at least one top-five vote from members of the Student Advisory Council.

“We were thrilled to have our second-largest group of applicants in BOTF history, and we’re eager to visit some familiar stops and check out a new section as well,” said Andy Frushour, MHSAA director of brand management and advisor to the Student Advisory Council. “Traverse City West created some incredible momentum last year, and Charlotte just missed earning the championship. Frankenmuth and Petoskey bring years of tradition back to this contest, and Boyne City should be another fantastic addition while adding to the strong student section presence from northern Michigan.”

Video submissions included explanations on how each section met the following contest criteria: positive sportsmanship, student body participation, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group, student section leadership and overall fun.

Click the links below to see the videos submitted by the finalists:

Boyne City – Charlotte – Frankenmuth – Petoskey – Traverse City West

The finalists were chosen by the Student Advisory Council, and the winner will be selected by another Advisory Council vote based in part on activity on the MHSAA’s social media sites. All social media postings regarding Battle of the Fans VI should include the hashtag #BOTF. The MHSAA will post throughout the finalists tour on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites and Snapchat feed.

Finalists will be visited for the following home basketball games:

Jan. 13: Kalkaska at Boyne City
Jan. 20: Alpena at Traverse City West
Jan. 28: DeWitt at Charlotte
Feb. 1: Sault Ste. Marie at Petoskey
Feb. 3: Millington at Frankenmuth

Beaverton, Battle Creek Lakeview, Buchanan, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian and Rockford, listed here in alphabetical order, rounded out the top 10 in the vote to select the finalists.

This year’s applicants brought the total number of schools that have entered the contest at least once to 84, with Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard – a finalist in 2013 – the only school to apply all six years.

Traverse City West and Frankenmuth have applied four times, Petoskey three, Charlotte twice, and Boyne City was a first-time entrant this year. There were nine first-time applicants total, including Battle Creek Lakeview, Breckenridge, Fennville, Harbor Beach, Hart, Ogemaw Heights, Saginaw Heritage and Troy Athens.

Click to view all applications on YouTube.

The contest is sponsored in part by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, which promotes Michigan's locally-produced dairy products and nutrition education. Rules plus links to past years’ coverage of the contest can be found on the BOTF page of the MHSAA website.

The Student Advisory Council is made up of eight seniors and eight juniors who each serve two-year terms. The Council acts as the voice of Michigan's student-athletes; it serves as a student sounding board for the MHSAA's Representative Council, assists in planning Sportsmanship Summits, Captains Clinics and other student leadership events; participates in a yearly focus group about the state of high school sports for Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and assists with medal ceremonies at MHSAA championship events.