Latham, NY- The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) is proud to announce its 2016-17 Battle of the Fans Champions. For the first time ever four schools have been named Battle of the Fans Champions and will all be presented banners to hang in their schools to commemorate their victories.
The 2016-17 champions are Bethlehem Central High School (Section 2), Cicero-North Syracuse High School (Section III), Tappan Zee High School (Section I) and Webster Schroeder High School (Section IV). Social media voting is the sole criteria for selecting the Battle of the Fans Champion. This year voting was close, however as a result of discrepancies within social media voting, it was determined that all four schools would be recognized as 2017 champions.
Last month, members of the NYSPHSAA staff attended games at the four finalist schools to meet with student leaders, witness the excitement of the school’s student section, and create a video to document the experience. During the visit, the NYSPHSAA staff also awarded each school with a plaque to recognize being chosen as a finalist in the Battle of the Fans program.
“All four schools did a tremendous job of promoting sportsmanship, community support and positive fan behavior,” said Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “We are excited to have the opportunity to honor these four schools and their communities for their commitment to having the best interscholastic fans in New York State.”
Battle of the Fans is a program based primarily on school pride, inclusion, and positive sportsmanship. The program was established during the 2013-14 school year and saw Bethlehem, Norwich, and Webster Schroeder previously capture the award as Battle of the Fans Champions. NYSPHSAA officials will visit all four champions later this year to present each school with their championship banners commemorating the Battle of the Fans title.
