Supporting a team takes many forms: hanging signs in the cafeteria, crowding the stands, sporting school logo wear, wearing face paint. These are things Staples SuperFans have always done.
Add maintaining a Facebook group to this list.
“Facebook is the best way to unite a student body; we have to have a SuperFans group to support our school teams,” Lucas Jackson ’15 said.
But the SuperFans’ Facebook group, created by Andrew Felman to get fans to attend Staples games, has at times caused tension among the student body. Upperclassmen have taken their attempts to motivate the underclassmen to a whole new level.
Freshmen and sophomores have been targeted for lack of school spirit and ridiculed, sometimes with profanity, for not showing up at recent sporting events, such as away football games involving the state championship.
“When we were freshmen/sophomores,” posted one senior boy, “we went to all the games and cheered just as loud as the upperclassmen if not more, this is the reason each and everyone one of you are equivalent to a baboons dingleberry.”
The “Staples SuperFans 12-13” Facebook group contains 535 members. Most posts are positive: “Show some heart and go to the game,” wrote Jack Roof ’13.
Roof thinks the cheering should be rowdy and the stands crowded.
“It may get a bit rowdy sometimes, but we just want underclassmen to come support our teams and pack it in tight,” he said. “A gentle encouragement won’t hurt anyone.”
However, many attacks using swear words have been made on the underclassmen, and some are concerned.
“How can this be a Facebook group to unite the student body when everyone is harassing each other?” Sarah Reilly ’16 said.
Reilly is referring to harsh posts that senior boys have created—girls don’t seem to be active in the group—that use four-letter words.
“If you guys couldn’t figure it out we all *#!&ing hate you,” wrote one senior boy.
“You better get your ?@$* together for basketball season. Hope you pre-pubescent *$@#^ feel satisfied,” wrote another.
Some think there is nothing wrong with the way these upperclassmen are treating the freshman and sophomores in the Superfan group. They see it as harmless.
“The group is harmless. They’re not actually going to hurt anybody; they just want people to go to the games,” Adam Kleinberg ’14 said. “Maybe they shouldn’t be yelling at people, but it’s definitely not a big deal.”
However, many do believe the Superfan group is a big deal. Some students have avoided joining the group because they know they will be targeted by the upperclassmen.
“Some underclassmen are scared to join because the upperclassmen are very involved and motivated to win games, which makes them talk in a very direct tone of voice,” said Robert Gordon ’16, a member of the group.
Most would say the upperclassmen target freshmen and sophomores as a group. However, there have been accounts of seniors attacking specific members.
“I, as a curious sophomore, posted in the group about two months back, requesting information on the upcoming event. Unfortunately, as many innocent victims are, I was targeted,” Hamilton Kovtun ’15 said. “After being made fun of because of my lack of understanding, I was forced to delete my post.”
Kovtun expressed how insecure he felt when upperclassmen said his question was stupid and it should not have been asked.
Even though many are in the SuperFans, some claim the group isn’t very effective.
“A lot of people don’t go to the games because the group isn’t helpful, there’s unimportant information and people don’t really listen to the admins,” Emma Rowe ’15 said.
According to those interviewed, the group, from this year to last year has changed quite a bit. Last year, the group focused on attacking other towns—this year, it has changed to attacking its own community.
“Unfortunately, many upperclassmen feel the need to be the center of attention, and most of the time, it is at the cost of innocent classmates,” Kovtun said.