Page 16 - 1990

The Ralston

turns quiet onlookers into rowdy fans

By Peggy Luebbert of Be Somebody started at the district
What do you get when you cross a games at Byan High School.
junior with a bunch of freshmen? The District basketball led more people
Ralston Zoo and Zoo Keeper, Junior Mike to become part of The Zoo. "They were
Naber. unofficial, but I guess if you were there,
The group was dubbed The Zoo by the you could say you were part of The
basketball players themselves, and Naber Zoo," said Naber. At districts, Juniors
said the name stuck. The Ralston Zoo was Jason MacKichan, Rob Hood, Mike
a group of mainly freshmen in sports who Hornbacher, Mark Weichel, Cody
helped cheer the basketball team to victory Gamble, Jim Eggers, and Sophomore
at almost all of the games, and tourna­ Chad Andrews, who were an auxiliary of
ments. "Our job was to get people to open The Zoo, attended the game with their
their mouthes and to stop them form being faces painted. "It's a huge show of
vegetables and to lose their inhibitions," spirit," said Mac Kichan, who got the
said Naber, their leader. Nabersaid he had idea of face painting fromtheChildren's
the freshmen sit in the front row to cheer Museum. MacKichan was responsible
because "they'll do what I tell them." The for purchasing the paint. He said he
Zoo would do cheers like: "Na Na Na Na, bought $26 worth of paint, but the crew
Hey Hey Good-bye", "Go start the bus, it's only used $3 worth of the face paint.
cold outside", "Nuts and bolts, nuts and "The paint works sweet, but I still have
bolts, we just got screwed", and the chant mounds of paint left," said MacKichan,
"It will be good for next year."

Getting the crowd rallied at the district
basketball game is "Leader of the Zoo"
Junior Mike Naber.

"Be Somebody" was the phrase
the district basketball game. Sophomo
Chad Andrew cheers Ralston to victory
against Omaha Northwest.