How to go
What: Fairfield High School Graduation
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Xavier Cintas Center, 1624 Herald Avenue, Cincinnati
FAIRFIELD — Sitting on a chair facing the student section, senior Andrew Guenther dramatically pulls down an imaginary shoulder restraint and begins chanting the sound effects of a roller coaster ascending a hill. Hundreds of arms in front of him shoot up in the air preparing for the plunge, and then fling from side to side wildly as the ride picks up speed.
The scene was repeated at each half-time during basketball season, and became the Indian mascot’s signature cheer, with staff and students claiming no one does the roller coaster cheer better than Fairfield.
“When people think of Fairfield athletics, I think people think of Andrew Guenther,” 2011 senior class President Eric Lee said. “The school spirit and love for sports in Fairfield is so huge this year. It’s such a drastic change from what I remember in the past. Part of that has to do with Andrew being the mascot.”
Guenther, who was asked to become the mascot midway through his junior year, tossed aside the giant Indian head, and opted instead for a feathered headdress and face paint. The result, he said, was more modern and personable mascot.
“I’m kind of a spirited guy,” he said. “I love it. It’s fun to feel the crowd get involved in stuff.”
Guenther, also a varsity baseball player, set a goal to attend at least one competition for each sport.
“I’m a diehard Fairfield fan,” said Guenther, who plans to attend the University of Cincinnati next year to study mechanical engineering. “I feel like I have a lot of friends here. We’ve grown together this whole time. We’ve really become like a family.”
Guenther turned out to be the perfect solution to boosting waning school spirit — a primary goal for the athletic department this year, Lee said.
“I think we’ve left a pretty good footprint on Fairfield High School and are setting the tone for future Indians,” he said.
Still, it won’t be easy to replace Guenther, Athletic Director Mark Harden said.
“I’ve joked with Andrew’s parents that we’re going to try to lobby the state for a fifth year from him,” he said.
It was Guenther’s behind the scenes organizing through texts and social media, Harden said, that truly made his efforts at the games successful.
“He’s really great about rallying people — all different types of kids,” he said. “It’s not just his buddies. Andrew has a way of reaching out to them and befriending them and getting them to be excited.”
Student attendance skyrocketed at home and away games, and students often showed up to games dressed for themes like 80s night, crazy hair night or formal night.
“Everywhere we went, Andrew got people to come and do funny things,” Harden said. “We traveled probably better than any student section in the league in basketball this year. I think he’s changed the way people view the mascot thing. The greatest thing about ‘G’ is that for someone who is popular with so many kids and really befriends so many kids, he also has a way of not taking himself too seriously. He truly does. He loves Fairfield. He loves all the athletic teams.”
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