Severna Park High School's Number One Fan

If you have been to a game of any kind in the past five years or so, you have seen Kenny Elkert.  You might have also seen him at the ood  in Severna Park where he works several times a week and never fails to wave hello. Kenny is a special part of the Severna Park community.

 “We knew about Kenny before we even started high school.  We knew that if you were going to go to be an athlete at Severna Park, you were going to eventually become friends with Kenny,”  said Kiersten Muhly.

After four years on the field hockey and lacrosse teams for the Falcons, Muhly cannot remember a single game in which she did not see Kenny. 

“Whether they were home games or away games, competitive or not competitive, Kenny was always there,” she said.

Though Muhly felt especially close to Kenny because her brother Taylor also has special needs, every athlete at Severna Park will tell you that Kenny stands out.

“He was always there and at the end of every game he would be down there waiting for high fives or hugs.  The girls just love him,” said Crissy Gardner, mom of lacrosse player Kendyl Gardner.

As a freshman Muhly began to notice there was an event where Kenny didn’t show up.  He was never at the end of the season banquet.  As an underclassman, she didn’t feel like she could say anything but this year, as a senior, Muhly decided to step up and change that.  This year, Muhly invited Kenny to attend the banquet and her team got behind the idea.

The girl’s lacrosse team decided it was time to honor Kenny for his dedication to the school and all of its teams. 

Kenny showed up to this year’s banquet, dressed up and carrying flowers for the coaches.  He had dinner with the girls and listened as the speeches were delivered. 

Coach Carin Peterson stood up and said a few words about the importance of such a loyal fan.  She was followed by Muhly who presented Kenny with a ball signed by all of the girls on the team, enclosed in a display box, engraved with his name and “Number One Fan.”

Back on the sidelines, Kenny attends every game throughout the year with his police scanner in hand.  He listens to calls over the scanner and though he sometimes has a difficult time communicating, he retains everything and his caring and concern extend far beyond the abstract address that he hears over the scanner.  One mom I talked to said he never fails to remind her of an emergency call he heard over the scanner years ago when her husband was experiencing a problem with his heart.

Kenny was thrilled to be included in the evening and to be honored by the girls that he has cheered on over so many years and the parents of the players were proud to have raised children who took notice of Kenny and honored his contribution.