Icky La Boomba: The Legend of the Colt Crazies

December 20th, 2019…

CBA vs. Marlboro, it’s the first game of the year, by far the loudest.

Eight minutes til game time and yours truly, as an eighth grader ready to attend the Academy next year, was walking into the Varsity Gym. For such a short hallway, it was certainly a very long walk.

Now, I had been to a CBA basketball game before, but none of them were like this one. That hallway, it was shaking, almost like an earthquake, and this was BEFORE tip. As I entered the gym, I saw the source of that tremendous energy: the Colt Crazies.

CBA ultimately lost that game in a thriller, but the pure energy of the Crazies was unreal. Then-senior Brendan Clark, a friend of my brother Jonathan ’20, welcomed me into the Colt Crazies for the second half. From all of the chants and cheering, I knew right away that Colt Crazies were the best fans in the state.

I did not realize the power of the CBA faithful until that moment. The Crazies become so energetic that they can entirely change a game.

Whether it is the Founders’ Cup against RBC or a hockey state championship, the Crazies give you that adrenaline rush you typically get when you have five minutes to finish your midterm exam. 

While we will most likely not be able to gather as Crazies this year, let’s take a walk down memory lane with current students, parents, alumni and faculty.

Origins

In the early 1960s, CBA’s basketball team started to become a program to be reckoned with. In 1963, CBA formed a cheer squad which has been said to be the true origins of the Colt Crazies. CBA started winning state titles in bunches and the student body sure enough began to buzz. Soon, the Varsity Gym was filled every game – no matter who they played. But, it wasn’t until the mid 70s when they started to become truly “crazy.”

“The support that the CBA students have given their teams has always been a hallmark of Christian Brothers Academy,” said CBA President Br. Frank Byrne ’75. “When you take a look at our first state title, it was the 1965 basketball team. It’s amazing that a relatively new school could produce a state championship team within the first five years of competition. The support of the student body was crucial to this success.”

The Colts won more state titles in the 70s and the fan section kept getting bigger. “The Score, the Shot, the Shout” was the headline in a 70’s yearbook next to a picture of a horde of screaming and jumping students. The 80s and 90s were two more successful decades for both the basketball team and the crowd. The turn of the new millennium didn’t disappoint either. 

In 2006, CBA played a game at Convention Hall in Asbury Park with nearly 3,500 spectators. The Colts were matched up with fabled St. Patrick, ranked number one in New Jersey and number six in the nation. Of course, the Crazies showed up. 

With the Crazies support, CBA narrowly escaped with a 53-52 upset win, after which legendary head coach Ed Wicelinski told reporters that it gave them “confidence” that CBA could play with anyone. It was surely a classic moment in basketball and Colt Crazies history.

The Crazies are still very much present, but not just in basketball. Recent years have seen unreal turnouts at the Prudential Center in Newark for state championship games in hockey. The soccer team saw hundreds of Crazies show up for the nationally-ranked game against St. Benedict in fall 2019. With a different theme every game, they not only energize the team, but also provide entertainment for the entire venue.

The Perspective

Throughout the rich history of the Colt Crazies, many current CBA community members have experienced the passion and intensity of the fan section.

The Academy is lucky to have several alumni on staff who have been a member of the Colt Crazies themselves. Mr. Jason Lutz, CBA’s communications director and advisor for the Digital Network, recalls growing up admiring the Crazies even before arriving at CBA as a student.

“I still remember coming to CBA basketball games as a middle school kid and marveling at the passion that the Crazies brought to each game,” Mr. Lutz said. “As a kid, they made a big CBA conference or state championship game feel like you were watching a college program play.”

Mr. Nick Galeotafiore, a math teacher and student council moderator, remembers his days as a member of the Crazies and the home field advantage it brought to whatever game was being played.

“Getting to spend extra time with my friends, while also supporting our classmates was always a blast. We loved the opportunity to bring a true home field, court, or ice advantage whenever another team came to play us. Going to games was so much fun and you can see the energy we would give the players,” Mr. Galeotafiore said.

Mr. Bill Frake, a fellow alumnus and math teacher, has sat court-side for years as the Varsity Gym’s public address announcer. It is a unique perspective to have of both the game and the fans.

“The Colt Crazies electrify the Varsity Gym during games in a way that few high schools can match,” Mr. Frake said. “When the Colt Crazies turn out in force, it’s an environment that can be very humbling for opposing teams.”

As Mr. Galeotafiore said, the Crazies have historically been excellent at traveling to away contests. Mr. Bob O’Connor has served as an assistant basketball coach for the better part of two decades now, after being the team manager during his days as a CBA student.

“As a coach, we can tell it is a big game when the Colt Crazies are present, whether it is the home opener, senior day, Shore Conference and state tournaments, at Brookdale and also at Monmouth University,” Mr. O’Connor said. “Even when I was a student basketball manager in the ’90’s, the Colt Crazies were intimidating to our opponents. The Colt Crazies bring a ton of energy to the game and are certainly our 6th man.”

And the head coach echoed that feeling. Coach Geoff Billet was a standout player before becoming the head coach, scoring over 1,000 points and winning the state championship in 1995.

“As a player here at CBA, they would always be there for us in the big games and give you the extra energy needed to play at your best,” Billet said. “As the coach at CBA now, I can see our players feed off of the emotion from the crowd. It gives the players a sense of pride and determination. The Crazies symbolize what CBA is all about.”

A Legacy Continued: The Present Day Crazies

Just as sports evolve, so do the passionate fans. The Crazies have turned to social media in recent years to promote students coming to the games.

However, the feeling the Crazies bring to a game has remained the same.

“As a player and student, I can truthfully tell you that there is nothing better than supporting your classmates at their games,” said Michael White ’21 who has been a three year member of the varsity basketball team. “Going to games and being a part of the best student section in the state there is nothing to compare it to. The best part of it is that you know when you are playing in your big game, the student body will have your back and go crazy at your games.”

The consensus for top games easily was the hockey state finals and the Founders’ Cup against RBC. Indoor sports like hockey or basketball get the nod over outdoor contests.

Today, the best energy is shown at halftime when the Crazies gather into something of a mosh pit to start the infamous “Icky La Boomba” chant. It is something you can only understand if you have been a part of it, as Student Council President Michael Jakub ’21 has been.

“Year in and year out, the Colt Crazies motivate players in whatever sport to perform their absolute best,” Jakub said. “There is nothing better than playing in front of Colt Crazies knowing you have your brothers behind you. The Colt Crazies are always there for the athletes and always will be.”

Something the Crazies have recently impacted: the live broadcast of basketball games.

With the Digital Network now streaming every home game, the hundreds of viewers at home can also get a feel for the energy that the Crazies bring to the gym.

“I have heard from alumni and parents how awesome that the Digital Network live games are when the Crazies are in attendance. While it isn’t the same as being in the Varsity Gym, I think our viewers can feel the intensity and excitement through the broadcast,” Mr. Lutz said. “Our student broadcasters have done an excellent job playing off the Crazies’ energy while calling these games, which is something that seasoned commentators do.”

A three-year broadcaster with the Digital Network, Jonathan Heite ’20 thought the Crazies definitely amped up his on-air calls.

“Some of my best calls involved feeding off the energy from the crowd during a highlight reel play, heart-pounding finishes, or even the Icky La Boomba at halftime,” Heite said. “To this day, I miss commentating games with the Crazies in attendance and will never forget their impact they had on my broadcasting career at CBA.”

The Crazies give the Colts an edge over any team because of the excitement that they bring. Other schools have tried to match their energy and they typically cannot compare. The Crazies are not only a fan section, but also a brotherhood and an opposing team that other schools truly fear.

While the Crazies may not be able to cheer a Mike White jumper in-person this winter, their spirit will live on in rafters of the Varsity Gym. In fact, the Crazies’ spirit is present throughout the school, in the cafeteria, the library, math class and the hallways.

Any CBA student knows that when the sun sets on a brisk December day, they should hustle over to the Varsity Gym because it’s time for basketball. But more importantly, it’s time to get loud as a member of the Colt Crazies.