Have School Spirit? Show It Off, Farmington and Farmington Hills!

There's no doubt that Farmington, North Farmington and Harrison high school students know how to support their sports teams. But, which school has the best fan section around? 

The Michigan High School Athletic Association is hosting its second annual Battle of the Fans and is ready to highlight the best student cheering sections across Michigan.

To enter, follow these rules:

1. FILM THE STUDENTS. Get your video camera and film your student section in action on a game time.
2. POST TO YOUTUBE. Edit the video to between 1 1/2 and 3 minutes and post to YouTube. The deadline is noon Jan. 12. Each video must include at least 30 seconds of discussion about why your school meets the contest criteria: positive sportsmanship, student body participation, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group, student section leadership and fun.
3. EMAIL THE LINK. Email your YouTube link to BOTF@mhsaa.com. We'll add it to our Battle of the Fans playlist.

The MHSAA Student Advisory Council will choose five finalists. MHSAA officials will visit each school on a Friday game night to see the fan section in person. The winner will be announced on Feb. 22 and will be invited to the Class B Boys Basketball Semifinals at the Breslin Center on March 22 to be recognized and receive a championship banner.

"Sportsmanship is an important part of educational athletics, and student cheering sections can be a key factor in having a festive high school event," the MHSAA said. "We want to see videos that reflect enthusiasm and togetherness within cheering sections. We want to witness cheers that pump up the atmosphere without disrespecting all involved in the sporting event. We want to see a mixture of school spirit and positivity within student cheering squads." 

The MHSAA's Student Advisory Council has four guidelines for a great student section:

1. Focus on your school. Encourage and direct comments to your team only. Don’t target individuals on the opposing team. Be loud, and be your team’s “6th man”.
2. Promote a positive atmosphere. Cheers should uplift the crowd and get everyone involved. Be aware that children and parents are there, too.
3. Get organized. Select a group of leaders. Promote the togetherness of the entire student body. Organize theme nights. Develop your own original cheers. 
4. HAVE FUN!

Patch editor Joni Hubred-Golden contributed to this report.