Iowa High School Basketball superfans haven't missed a game in 50 years

An Iowa high school basketball team has their version of the Toronto Raptors’ Nav Bhatia. However, while Bhatia hasn’t missed a Raptors game in 30 years, Bernie and Lorrie Formanek have become constant fixtures in the bleachers for 50 years.

As KOCO News 5’s Beau Bowman wrote, the Formaneks started attending Garner-Hayfield-Ventura basketball games in 1975. While Bernie witnessed the last 2,126 Cardinals boys and girls basketball home games (and counting), Lorrie missed only six. After all, basketball must take a back seat to their sick children, who also studied in the same school.

Though their children have graduated from Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, they kept showing up to these matches. Their reason? There’s nothing better than watching Iowa high school basketball games at Garner come winter.

Through five decades of watching Cardinals games, the Formaneks witnessed the competition’s evolution. They were already supporting the girls basketball team when they were playing six-on-six. Likewise, they were constant fixtures when the Garner-Hayfield and the Ventura Community School Districts merged in July 2015.

The school recognized their unwavering support by giving them a customized framed jersey and a basketball at midcourt during a recent game. Meanwhile, Cardinals girls basketball coach Adam Urness marveled at the fact that the Formaneks were already watching games before he was born.

There’s joy and heartbreak in being a fan, and the Formaneks are no different. They’ve witnessed a state tournament loss on a buzzer-beater. Conversely, they’ve seen the time when both boys and girls squads were top contenders for state tournaments.

At present, the Formaneks hope for better days for this Iowa high school basketball program. While the boys basketball team lost their last two games, they still ended the season with a 10-14 record. On the flipside, the girls basketball squad went 8-15, losing three of their last four games.

Despite the struggles both teams are facing, the Formaneks are not stopping their support anytime soon. As Bowman wrote, Lorrie Formanek said they will still attend games even if they had to roll them in wheelchairs.