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Church erasing school boundaries with fan club
My Mandy Moran Froemming
Anoka Union Editor
Fan clubs are typically reserved for rock stars and professional athletes. They don’t usually gather at places like the Anoka Ice Arena.
But a youth group from Grace Lutheran Church in Andover are number one fans of Kayla Lane, varsity goalie for the Anoka girls’ hockey team.
At most home games the Kayla Lange Fan Club sits at the east end of the arena where Lange is in the net for two periods – cheering their friend on.
“It all started with a bunch of us going to a game and making a big ruckus, which doesn’t happen at too many girls’ games,” said C.T. Harris, youth director at Grace Lutheran Church.
He got the idea to organize their efforts and become regular groupies of the fellow youth group member.
Harris said Lange was chosen for the fan club because of her outstanding efforts with the church, her talent on the ice and her modesty for both.
“I think she likes it but she’s a little bit embarrassed,” he said.
As well, Lange suffered the theft of her letter jacket out of the car, which was parked at Grace Lutheran Church, while she attended the Anoka-Andover football game earlier this month.
“It is a bit of a lesson that out of something difficult can come something good,” said Harris. He also said it shows the lesson to these youth group members that their friends will be there to support them—no matter what team they play for.
“I want them to know that if anything happens, they can know C.T. and my friends are going to be there for me,” he said.
In fact, out of the nearly dozen fan club members none go to Anoka High School. It is students from Coon Rapids and Andover putting on their fan club t-shirts and crossing the boundaries of school rivalries to cheer on Lange and her team.
This—putting friendship above peer pressure—is one of the ultimate goals of the fan club.
Harris admits this is a different approach to ministry but hits with his philosophy of lessons through living life together, rather than teaching it in the classroom.
“I encourage the students not to put church and faith in a separate box but see it, as a holistic approach to life,” said Harris.
The fan club has also taken on more momentum than Harris expected. Members are also planning to start fan clubs for David Olson, a new member of the youth group, who plays on the Coon Rapids High School junior varsity hockey team and Emma Hellmann, a star member of the orchestra at Andover High School.
However, putting together a fan club for orchestra performances is going to require a little more planning and a lot less rowdiness, Harris said.
“Maybe we’ll have to wear tuxedoes,” he joked.
The group communicates online through the online community Facebook has matching fan club t-shirts and signs it brings out at every game.
Harris said some of the members have been hassled a bit by kids from their school who chide them for cheering for a friend rather than the home team.
“I think this might erase those school rivalries for a few,” said Harris. “I’m proud of them for saying this is my friend and I’m going to cheer for her.”
Reprinted with permission by Mandy Moran Froemming,
Editor of the Anoka Union.