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- Bradford Lange was misidentified in a photo caption on Page 5 of Tuesday's Lodi News-Sentinel. Lange is the vineyard general manager for LangeTwins Winery and was inducted into the San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame this month.
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Tokay High's Bleacher Creatures support the football team during a game against rival Lodi at the Grape Bowl. The Bleacher Creatures are part of an effort to increase school spirit. (News-Sentinel file photo)
Tokay's Bleacher Creatures boost school spirit
The Tigers want their opponents to "Fear the Roar."
In an effort to increase school spirit at Tokay High sporting events, the school's student body government has created the Tokay Bleacher Creatures to get more students out to games and make more of a Tiger atmosphere.
The student-lead group, which began to form last season under then junior class president Michael Hernandez, has established itself this year. Tokay's student body government designed, bought and gave away 300 purple T-shirts with a Tiger's paw on front and the phrase "Fear the Roar" on the back. The group made its presence most known earlier this football season when Tokay played Lodi at the Grape Bowl and, cheering against Lodi's newly formed Flame Fanatics, gave the cross-town rivalry game more flavor.
Hernandez, who is now a senior and the student body government's rally commissioner as well as a star linebacker/fullback for Tokay's football team, has made it his goal to get more students at Tokay's sporting events. He wants football games to be packed and the bleachers at basketball games to be full like they used to be when his older brother Anthony was in school. Anthony is four years older than Hernandez, who remembers going to games when the house was full of Tiger fans. He's trying to bring that back.
"We had some good basketball teams and there were some crazy Bleacher Creatures in those days," Hernandez said. "It was big and we are trying to bring it back. I think as years progress, it will only get bigger."
The Bleacher Creatures got off to a strong start this year when Hernandez, who is the Master of Ceremonies for school rallies, spread the word about the group and pumped them up at a rally at the beginning of the school year. He also reads the morning bulletin announcements at Tokay High everyday and reminds the student body about the group and tells them what big games are coming up and when to come out. He and the rest of the student body government have also hung posters around school to promote the group and big games. Joe Johnson, a social sciences teacher and the student body government advisor, is helping the students organize the group and believes it is a great thing for Tokay High.
"It's not a brand new thing. It is something we are trying to revive. Obviously when our teams are doing better, the stands are full of people and they dress crazy," said Johnson, who also runs the clock at Tokay football games. "Attendance at games had kind of dwindled. We are really trying hard to a find way to raise school spirit, get more people to games and get kids excited about Tokay athletics again."
Johnson thinks the improvement of some Tiger teams, like the football team that is off to a 6-1 start this season, will help the Bleacher Creatures grow. He's expecting them to be in full force for Tokay's homecoming football game Friday night vs. Edison.
"I keep trying to sell the kids the idea of you watch a college basketball game or football game and they can get 105,000 people wearing the same color and that is kind of what I am shooting for," Johnson said. "They are kind of starting to see it a little."
A member of the Tokay High Bleacher Creatures supports the football team during a recent game at the Grape Bowl. (News-Sentinel file photo)
As at Tokay graduate, Louis Franklin, the head football coach for Tokay who is also a teacher at the school, remembers when the bleachers were full of Tiger fans at football and basketball games. He's proud the student government has taken an active role in trying to revitalize the feel of those games.
"Our group of boys really enjoy the support from our community, student body and alumni," Franklin said. "I think it is awesome that our student government has been so supportive in trying to build up school spirit. We have seen that our school does have school spirit at rallies and sporting events thanks to their guidance."
The 300 T-shirts Tokay's student government delivered ran out quick. Tokay is trying to make more, but will probably have to sell them for a small fee to pay for them. They could come in handy as the football season goes on and the Tigers try to make their first playoff appearance since 2002.
"It's off to a good start," Johnson said. "We have foundation we can build on and when basketball season gets going, we'll keep it going."
Contact reporter Joelle Milholm at joellem@lodinews.com.
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