A few minutes before he was lifted into the back of an ambulance, before the red and blue flashing lights lit up the stadium, before shock swept across the faces of fans, senior Tim Schwall saw the sign.

“Since Highland Park took the sign somehow last year … most people wanted it back,” said Schwall. “I ended up being the one to go get it.”

At last year’s Glenbrook North vs. Highland Park football game, a GBN sign, which read “sports,” ended up with Highland Park students after they stormed the GBN field. Before this year’s game on Oct. 2, GBN students saw the sign in the Highland Park student section. Schwall sneaked into the opposing fan section, grabbed the sign and, as he ran back to the GBN student section, he was chased by a Highland Park student who made contact with Schwall. Schwall fell and was later diagnosed with a concussion.

“I regret the fact that it’s caused a huge concussion, and I feel bad for the kid that tackled me,” said Schwall. “In a school spirit way, [I don’t regret it]. I feel like it was an awesome thing to do, yet I probably shouldn’t have done it.”

When Dean of Students William Eike heard about the incident, he said his main concern was the safety of the students.

“[Administrators and teachers] understand students do things sometimes without thinking things through, but when things happen and we have to get involved, obviously our main concern is if everyone is okay, … and then [we] try and work through what the effect is going to be,” Eike said.

Eike said all fan sections can take chants too far by heckling and singling out certain individuals in a negative manner.

“The individuals that are out on the playing field … are there because they want to be on a team,” said Eike. “Why do we, [if] we might not even know who this young person is, take it upon ourselves to harass that individual? I just don’t think it’s the right place to do something like that.”

Senior Zach Hoffman said fan sections can cross the line by making chants personal. He said cheers should not hurt the opponent, and getting rowdy for your own team is enough.

Matthew Miller, head coach of the sophomore boys basketball and sophomore football team, said one of the first things he noticed when he began coaching in the area was that there was not a lot of supervision with the fans.

“I remember when we were over at New Trier and their students were doing [offensive], ‘Duke-like’ chants. … I don’t know if it should be that way [in high school],” said Miller. “There would be comments made to players, personal comments. I think our school is pretty good at policing our own student section.”

According to Ryan Hoerger, sports editor for The Chronicle at Duke University, the members of the Duke student section, the Cameron Crazies, spend weeks preparing and researching for the North Carolina game every year, but even he admits that fan sections can go too far into someone’s personal life.

“There’s definitely a line, and student sections have to be careful not step on the wrong side of it,” Hoerger said.

Physical education teacher Ryan Dul said fan sections represent the school. Dul is also a supervisor for GBN student sections and the head coach of the boys gymnastics team.

“There are parents there, other schools there, and the way you act not only represents you, but it does represent the school,” Dul said.

Senior Jacob Zatz said he “chirps,” or heckles, his opponents to get into their minds.

According to Eike, adult supervisors are asked to maintain safety and security and make sure the student section is trying to promote a positive sportsmanship-like atmosphere.

“Parents should parent, coaches should coach, players should play and the audience should cheer,” said Dul. “When it comes to cheering, it’s cheering on your team. You’re not there to cheer against the other team or to mock them.”

Dul said cheering sections can become competitive, and he recalled a cheer used during losses which stated, “That’s alright, that’s okay, you’ll be working for us someday.”

Miller said parents can also become too invested in a game.

“One of my players got injured on a play [after] a guy fouled my player from behind when he was up in the air,” said Miller. “A parent came out, theoretically to check on their kid, and then got all on the floor and started yelling at the officials. I actually had to walk the parent back into the bleachers.”

Hoffman, a member of the boys basketball team, said teams can feel when a crowd gets going. But, he said there are schools where crowds do feel angry and “get in your face.”

“Crowds get to you a little bit, but I think that’s not the point of the game,” said Hoffman. “If you’re going to go to a game, cheer for your team and enjoy the game. There’s no point of doing anything to harm the other team.”