Butler Community College - Grizzly Growl Yearbook (El Dorado, KS)

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JOHN LEMKE (alias Super Grizzly ) expresses disapproval for a referee ' s call. ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft 28 Super Grizzly

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■ KEN SNYDER puts the finishing touches on the metal bear. Bear 27

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' Super Grizzly ' rouses crowds Some may know him as mild- mannered student trainer John Lemke, but to the hundreds of Butler County basketball fans he has been dubbed Super Grizzly. You might be wondering what possesses a bright young college student to parade around in front of hundreds of home-town fans in a variety of costumes, to heckle referees, and to draw laughter from everyone with a grab-bag full of childish antics. I came from a very con- servative high school where the things I do here were not allowed, Lemke said. When I was younger and used to watch a lot of television, I used to see people having fun doing those things... I just like to go out there and have a good time. John Lemke is a freshman from Valley Center and he was brought to us by athletic trainer Terry Collins, on a student trainer scholarship. Where does one look for student trainers? Good question, but Collins has an answer. The Cramer Company, on of the nation ' s largest athletic equip- ment distributors, holds a training camp every summer for students with career interests in the training field. Cramer then sends a list of those who complete the program to colleges around the country. Enter Collins. After being war- ned by Lemke ' s high school coach that John is a little different, but a good worker, Collins decided to interview Lemke and offer him a scholarship. He ' s a very unique in- dividual, said Collins. Yes, he can be obnoxious, but he can be a lot of fun too. He knows when it ' s time to stop fooling around, though; and when it ' s time to get serious about his work, he can do that also. Lemke admitted that it ' s challenging to come up with new ideas, but he ' s receiving more than a little help from friends. Drama and speech instructor Bob Peterson has been helping with costumes, which is sometimes dif- BLEACHER BUMS with prepared signs help Super Grizzly turn on the spec- tators at a home basketball game. ficult because Lemke likes to con- flict with the opposing team ' s mascot. For instance when the Grizzlies played the Kansas City Blue Devils, Lemke apeared as a priest to exorcise the Devils. All in all, Grizzly cage fans are getting three mascots for the price of two. But Lemke said he doesn ' t like to be referred to as a mascot. They do a great job with what they have to work with and I don ' t want to take anything away from them. It ' s just that I have fewer limitations than they have, Lemke said. Everyone has been receptive of the antics of Super Grizzly (Lemke) who has only been asked once to stop what he was doing. Athletic director Tom spicer once asked him to stop, but with good reason. Lemke, in his excitement, was bouncing on the bleachers and found himself jumping on the players ' bench and was distrac- ting players. Asked about Super Grizzly, Spicer ' s response was positive: He ' s refreshing, a great spectator and is part of college life. It ' s great to see a fan not so inhibited, not afraid to stand up and yell for his team . Does Lemke get carried away sometimes? You bet. Does he distract the players? Not really, according to men ' s basketball coach Randy Smithson. I think he ' s an integral part of our student body. There ' s always one guy that gets the crowd going no matter what level, be it high school, college, or professional, and he does that. He gets the players ' adrenaline going and he really helps to add spirit. Every team needs someone like him. Once Lemke went out on the floor and offered to pay the referee off with a dollar bill. Another time he had an eye chart to test the referee ' s eye sight. Most of the time the refs take Lemke in good spirit, and the fun goes On. Randy Ruark Super Grizzly 29