Fan of the Month honors overdue for Oberlin man

A celebrity at Phillips gymnasium on the Oberlin College campus, local resident Michael Gaines is as recognizable as Michael Jordan to Oberlin's regular gym-goers, student-athletes, coaches, and sports fans.

Whether he's setting up chairs, talking sports with students, watching a game, or preparing the gym for basketball practice, Gaines is the very essence of what should be encompassed in a Fan of the Month. If a "Fan of the Past 30 Years Award" were established, "Mike Gaines" would be engraved in the hardware immediately. Unfortunately, such a title does not exist. February's Fan of the Month seems to be the next best thing, and for Gaines, the title is long overdue.

In 1972, Mike Gaines launched a career that would make him an Oberlin athletics icon for years to come. Over the years, players come and go. New coaches are hired, but the length of their stay is always uncertain. Gaines, however, seems to be a permanent fixture in the Oberlin College athletic department.

Gaines knew that varsity contests and event set-ups were his calling since childhood. While in the seventh grade, Gaines started doing contest set-up at Oberlin High School. After that, Gaines decided he "wanted to move to the college level," and hasn't left.

Gaines's job duties include setting up for events at the athletic facilities, and preparing for many of the varsity teams' contests and practices.

"I do whatever varsity needs -- I'm committed to varsity," Gaines said.

Even though Gaines helps set up for many of Oberlin's varsity sports teams, his favorite teams to watch are men's and women's basketball. Gaines can be found focused on the action at nearly every home game, sitting at the scorer's table or with the fans in the bleachers.

"I just got into being with the kids. It's fun seeing them doing something I couldn't do every day," Gaines said. "They're studying all day, and then they have to be here for hours," he added.

Gaines has witnessed many of the best moments in Oberlin athletic history over the past 38 years, but his favorite was when the men's basketball team won the conference in the 1980s.

Just as Gaines has witnessed countless Oberlin College sporting events, he has also had the privilege of meeting hundreds of Oberlin's student-athletes. Of all the Yeomen and Yeowomen that have come through the Oberlin athletic program, Gaines has gotten to know few that could be classified with the status of his "favorites."

The first one Gaines named in his short-list of memorable athletes is current senior women's basketball player Kayla Brandt.

"I like her attitude. She's been great, and she's fun to be around," Gaines said.

Gaines added Brandt's former teammate Katie Thompson, junior men's basketball player Pat Bernhard, sophomore men's basketball player Hal Sundt, and first-year volleyball player Rosie Eck all have positive attitudes that stand above the rest.

Gaines has also met his fair share of Oberlin coaches over the years. The current men's basketball coach, Isaiah Cavaco, has been his favorite.

"He's really been there for me," Gaines said.

Gaines's passion for Oberlin athletics is apparent. His vigor in completing a task, his intensity in taking stats at a basketball game, and his constant ability to strike up conversation about a game all demonstrate his undying devotion to the Yeomen and Yeowomen. Anyone who comes into contact with Gaines instantly gets a taste of his knowledge of Oberlin athletics.

What many people don't know, however, are the other things that make up the man behind the polo shirt.

His favorite foods are mashed potatoes, chicken, and macaroni and cheese. He loves "music that makes you rock," as well as hip-hop and a few particular tunes from movie soundtracks. R. Kelly's "I Believe I can Fly" from the Space Jam soundtrack and "A Whole New World" on Disney's Aladdin soundtrack are particularly special to Gaines.

While the basketball teams are Gaines's favorite Oberlin teams to watch, the volleyball team's warm-up CD stands out as the best of the Yeomen and Yeowomen's pre-game music jams.

"They mix it up -- they have rap and everything," Gaines said.

Gaines's favorite movie is Avatar, and his favorite TV shows are "CSI: New York" and "CSI: Miami."

"I really like the lieutenants," Gaines said, regarding the characters on CSI.

"The one on Miami is better -- he's a cool dude," he added.

When Gaines isn't at a live Oberlin College sporting event or watching an episode of "CSI," Gaines enjoys watching the University of North Carolina basketball team on TV. He also likes watching the Cleveland Cavaliers "until they start choking," he said.

A little known fact about Gaines is that he loves toy trains.

"If I had a table big enough, I'd have one at home," Gaines said.

The oldest of three children, Gaines has lived in Oberlin since birth. His mother, the late Lois M. Gaines, worked at the college for 43 years.

"My goal is to beat my mom's old record," Gaines said.