School board president speaks out about fan behavior at basketball game

The Feb. 16 meeting of the School District of Rhinelander Board of Education began on an unusual note as board president Ron Counter shared his thoughts on a recent sporting event. Counter explained that he was in attendance at a subvarsity basketball contest involving Rhinelander and Wausau East, to cheer on a grandchild who plays for the Lumberjacks, when he witnessed inappropriate behavior from Rhinelander adults.
According to Counter, the game had to be stopped twice due to the fan conduct.
“I was embarrassed,” he said, adding that he would be referring the matter to athletic director Brian Paulson.
Following the meeting, the Star Journal asked Paulson how the matter was addressed.
“Following the game one of the officials reached out to me to let me know they had to stop the game to give a reminder to a parent in the stands about game conduct,” he wrote in an email to the Star Journal. Paulson went on to exp[ain that he also asked Matt Knott, assistant principal at Rhinelander High School, to act as a crowd supervisor at the next home game.