Menu
Fan on the field: Jordan Tumm leads fans of Nevada athletics
Nevada High School has a somewhat small following of very loyal fans, led by one very vocal person by the name of Jordan Tumm.
Tumm is one of the founding members of the Brothers PIG, a group of students who's sole purpose is to attempt to recruit more fans and bring back the ever-decreasing cheering sections at Nevada High School athletic events. "The point of the Brothers PIG was originally to have pride in your team," Tumm said. "Pride, integrity and guts was the key factor and just going crazy for your team."
Tumm made a promise to the Nevada Lady Tigers volleyball team that he would not miss a game since he chose to not play football and kept that promise, even when he was the only one who did go the to game from the Nevada High School student body. The simple fact that he has been in such a strong minority is exactly what keeps Tumm going.
"I mean, one voice in a crowd, one person can change a lot of things," Tumm said. "Especially with, you know, my unique ability to vocalize myself. I can fill that entire gym with my voice, just yelling and screaming."
Tumm related several occasions in which he was the only one from Nevada in attendance at away volleyball games and was able to outcheer the opposing section by himself. "I don't know how many games I went to by myself and I was able to outcheer their entire sections just by myself," he said "With my little cone, just yelling at the top of my lungs."
The support that Tumm and the Brothers PIG gave at various sporting events was an obvious factor at times in certain situations and he was even recognized at Senior Night during volleyball season. One game in particular stood out in his mind, when the Lady Tigers played against Stockton during the volleyball season.
"Oh biggest game, greatest influence right here, they even wrote about it in their paper that it had an effect on the game,"Tumm said. "Stockton game, I think we lost the first set and, uh, we were like 'all right, we gotta step this up' but we don't move anything once we pick a spot. And I guess their whole student section, they had a great student section, don't get me wrong. They move from each side of the gym, wherever they play.
"So they had switched sides and we like to cheer right there when they switch sides and their girls are right there, that's where we really want to be cheering. I mean, right in their face. Their whole section had moved over to our side and stood literally just the width of like the steps going up, that far away from us. Fifty kids right there yelling at the top of their lungs, we were right there and I think that's the loudest seven of us have ever been. Seven of us, we're drowning their whole crowd out."
As a result of just those few people cheering, the Lady Tigers came back from dropping the first set that night to win the next two and steal the victory in the match. Thanks to Tumm and his small following of loyal fans, the Lady Tigers went on to post a strong performance overall on the season and take second in the 2008 district championship tournament.
During football season this year, Tumm organized spirit nights, spearheaded tailgating parties at every home game and led the cheering section at the games. He was responsible for making and selling shirts, building signs and keeping the fire alive in the Brothers PIG.
During the Nevada Tigers' upset victory over the Carl Junction Bulldogs, Tumm was at the front of the crowd, yelling as he always had and running up and down the row in front of the bleachers carrying a Nevada High School flag. "I don't know how many times when we pulled that upset at CJ in football season, how many times I ran up and down the stands with that flag," he said.
Tumm's support for Nevada athletics doesn't stop at just the fan standpoint, however. In recent years, he has been a multi-sport athlete, playing football and basketball, but this year has chosen to simply stick with basketball.
As a basketball player, Tumm has seen in a few instances that fan influence can and has had an impact on him as a player. He attributed such small things as hearing one voice in the crowd when he may have missed an easy shot or done something that hurt his game, telling him to have a short memory and continue to play hard to his strong performance overall as a player.
Tumm said that anytime he is in a game and can feel the energy of the fans cheering him on, that energy gives him an extra boost to continue to play hard, no matter where his team may stand in the contest.
"I yelled one time, 'We might be down on the scoreboard, but we will not be down on pride in this section,'" Tumm said. "I mean that just kind of, was a thing I said when we'd be losing the football games, but it was a thing I thought was always fun to do. Even though you might be losing the game, still go down with pride."
The recognition and gratitude that he has gotten from the athletes that he supports are the main things that have kept Tumm going in his support of Nevada High School athletics and keep the faith and fire alive in his mind. Athletes do truly appreciate having fans around to cheer for them no matter what may be happening in the game and that appreciation is more than enough to keep Tumm's spirit going strong.
To the rest of the student body of Nevada High School and everyone around the community that has not been out supporting Nevada High School athletics, Tumm simply said, "Look at the effect I had on the volleyball season and how great they played this season together and how many of us were there. Where were you at?"