GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — A unique basketball game tradition returned to Green Bay Friday as the Preble High School Hornets took on the Southwest Trojans.
Until either team scored its 10th point, fans dressed in costumes silently cheered on their teams.
It was the return of Silent Night, a tradition that paused in Green Bay years ago when Rick Rosinski left Green Bay East High to become the boys head basketball coach at Preble.
Roskinski had brought the tradition to the Green Bay community about a decade prior,after seeing it at an Indiana college.
“We're really happy that we can bring it to a high school and carry on the tradition," Preble student Kendall Blahnik said.
The Hornets were the first to score 10 points in the December 19th game, breaking the silence as their fans erupted into cheers.
It’s more than just a fun event. Silent Night is also a fundraiser.
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Proceeds from the game will support improvements to Preble’s mental health programs.
"There's a lot of stress that comes with high school, and so, as a school and as a district, we're working to improve mental health through advisories and other clubs, and this really helps with our community engagement too," Blahnik explained.
The event also featured a canned food drive benefiting the school's food pantry and a silent auction with goods from local businesses.
"I think it just means a lot for our families, our students to see all of this support," said Adam Wiskerchen, Associate Principal.
Organizers are already planning to continue the tradition next year and are developing additional fundraisers to benefit students and the community.
