SuperFans: Back in Color
Summit fans demonstrate their school spirit and dress as SuperFans.
October 23, 2009 • Jennifer Edwards, Caitlyn Young
Filed under Featured, Points of Interest
Although we have only been open for nine years, Summit has one of the strongest and most visible traditions in the Central Oregon area: the Superfans.
Started in 2002 (the second year of Summit’s existence) by seven imaginative juniors and seniors, the Superfans began as small group of 20 kids. Today, they have blossomed into the more than 50 students who attend sporting events. However, the origins of the Superfans are not quite as noble as their current status would have us believe.
For example, girls were not allowed to Superfan until 2005.
“It was only my second year here, but I knew that it was bad news for the Superfans to exclude girls and I had to do something about it,” said Activities Director Reno Holler. “I contacted the Superfans’ leader, 2007 graduate Max ‘Chippy’ Levitch, and told him it wasn’t going to happen any more.”
Underclassmen gradually joined the ranks of the junior and senior Superfans. However, senior Superfan co-captain Peter Jones disagrees with letting underclassmen join the ranks.
“I am in favor of just having upperclassmen,” said Jones. “Upperclassmen generally have a greater sense of pride in Summit, simply because they’ve been there longer. Also, in my opinion, it’s constructive to have a few upperclassmen-only traditions, because if everyone can do everything all the time, what do underclassmen have to get excited about?”
Senior Superfan co-captain Jesse Luersen disagrees.
“This year we decided to let everyone in on it because we figured that way it will last longer in the years, so now once the seniors leave there will still be Superfans,” said Luersen. “It makes it better for years to come, and the more the merrier.”
“We have been quite accommodating, unlike years past,” said Superfan Jordan Schiemer.
Most students echo Luersen’s sentiments. The unofficial club bridges class lines, as students of all grades attend sporting events in Superfan attire.
Surprisingly, even teachers used to Superfan. “Teachers had been a part of Superfans in the original days,” said track coach Dave Turnbull, “but we left because of their chants.”
Turnbull is speaking of the low point in Superfan history, the period between 2005 and 2008 when they were seen as “rowdy and offensive,” according to Turnbull.
“There were instances of negative chants in those years,” said Holler. “We want to build up our team, not tear down others.”
Although the Superfans have improved since those years, some people feel they still have a way to go.
“Anything we can do to get kids involved is good,” said cross-country coach Dave Clark, “but I think the Superfans should give equal representation to all sports. However, they’re a great tradition to have at school.”
The Superfans have followed Clark’s advice this season. In the past they regularly attended only football and boys’ basketball games, but have recently increased their turnout to volleyball, soccer and girls’ basketball.
And the athletes do not miss their presence.
“When I play basketball it’s so much easier and is a lot more fun when you have a cheering section and the Superfans are there,” said Luersen, who plays varsity basketball.
“Athletes of games that we go to consistently tell me how nice it is when Superfans come, because there’s so much positive reinforcement as a result,” said Jones.
Now that the they have made it “about supporting the team and not about themselves,” according to Principal Lynn Baker, Superfans look forward to continuing the positive tradition.
“We’ve finally developed our own character,” said Turnbull. “We love our team win or lose.”
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