By Jackson Teal
It’s September 22, 2023. The Blue Crew erupts after the Eagles score the game-clinching touchdown. It’s Delta High School’s homecoming game versus New Castle. You can hear the Blue Crew cheering from the parking lot.
But, 16 years ago, the old student section at the time known as “Keller’s Krazies” was disorganized and not even comparable to today’s student section.
In 2007, the “Blue Crew” was officially created. Former athletic director Stan Daugherty was the administrator who created one of the most iconic parts of Delta today. The name was created thanks to Tammy Hahn, the athletic secretary at that time.
Daugherty realized that he needed to do something for two reasons. “One was to spike student interest and then a second reason is students weren’t coming to games because of ticket prices,” Daugherty said.
The home-opening football game that season against conference opponent Greenfield-Central is when his idea was officially brought to life.
“It seemed to take off extremely well early on,” Daugherty said.
Now, for the 2023-2024 school year a Blue Crew pass costs $25, which gets you into all home sports events excluding the postseason.
Current athletic director Tilmon Clark says more than 300 students have purchased the pass, which is an all time-high for his career.
The Blue Crew is in full swing currently with high attendance rates and is expected to continue that streak with the upcoming basketball season.
It is a student-run club. Clark gives them freedom to make big decisions on the Blue Crew.
“I’m always open to new ideas, and if they have ideas I urge them to come in and talk to me,” he said.
Daugherty had the same philosophy. He said in the early days they held raffles as well as mini contests where they would have one person from the Blue Crew come and shoot a free throw or kick a field goal for prizes.
Currently the Blue Crew is mainly run by senior Belle Brown, who has been a member of the group her whole high school career.
“It’s a fun way for the student body to get together outside of school,” Brown said.
After three years of being a member of the Blue Crew she was given the leadership role by the leaders before her, 2023 graduates Mabrey Stebbins, Kalynn Logan and Sydney Stroble.
She has taken the role seriously and has continued to grow the Instagram account as well as the student section in general. She chooses themes for games and posts the start times of different sport events.
The football season for the Blue Crew is coming to a close and members are starting to feel some excitement for the upcoming basketball season.
“[The Blue Crew] hypes up the players, they hype up the parents, and [the cheerleaders],” varsity cheerleader Alexa Bratton said.
The Blue Crew has been coming and supporting all sports with increasing attendance for 15+ years now, and it all started with Daugherty.
He was head boys basketball coach from 1983-1988, coaching Eagle legend Matt Painter. At the time he was the youngest coach in the state of Indiana.
He then was Athletic Director from 2007-2010. In this time he created the Blue Crew.
He finished off his career as an Eagle with another four-year stint as head basketball coach.
Later, he came back to watch a Delta game and remembers seeing the Blue Crew.
“The last time I came back and saw it, it brought back fond memories and I’m just glad the students were still doing it and supporting the teams,” Daugherty said.
