Picture this: It’s the morning of a big football game. You wake up to shut your alarm off, and the first notification you see on Snapchat is from Potosi’s biggest fan, Janet Friederick.

“It’s Football Friday… Be Strong! GO PC! Happy Day!”

You’re not surprised to see Janet’s gameday snap because you’ve gotten a couple more earlier in the week asking how practice was going, and if your muscles were feeling better after the last game. 

Now that it’s basketball season, Janet is thriving, because even though she loves watching her son Roman and the football boys, basketball is her favorite. “It’s the intensity and the speed of the game. I just love basketball,” says Janet. Even though Janet sends a snap to many players on all of the teams, she does have a special spot in her heart for one player: Sam Udelhofen.

“He’s such a great athlete!” Janet says to the people in the stands around her. 

Although Udelhofen doesn’t wear number 1 on the football field, Janet still makes sure he knows she’s cheering him on. He can hear her high-pitched shrill from anywhere, “Go Number 1!”

I asked Udelhofen what goes through his head when he hears her in the stands. Sam said, “I’m used to it now, not just because I hear it from Janet, but the student section screams it too.” 

The way the student section lovingly mocks Janet puts a smile on everyone’s face because it’s impossible not to recognize the love Janet has for Potosi athletics and athletes. She does more for Potosi athletics than cheer loudly at games.

At the end of the 2021 football season, Janet set out on a mission to raise funds to get new away uniforms for the players because she couldn’t see the numbers. She was tired of missing opportunities to cheer for Roman. Roman doesn’t appreciate her cheering as much as the other players do, but she didn’t want to miss his touchdown runs for the next two years. With the help of the Cassville and Potosi communities, Janet managed to raise almost $12,000. This allowed the football team to get new away uniforms with more visible numbers, and a set of black jerseys for special occasions, namely Cassville’s homecoming game in “The Valley.” 

The football team was sure to make Janet proud as they beat Blackhawk in “The Valley” for the first time since 2015 while rocking the new alternate black jerseys. The team also didn’t lose an away game in their new white jerseys with the visible maroon numbers. 

While Janet is cheering from the stands, she makes sure that the fans that couldn’t make it to the game can still watch it on Livestream. Friederick Excavating is one of the primary sponsors making the Potosi Livestream possible. If you listen closely, you’ll hear Janet cheering.

The players appreciate all that Janet does to support Potosi Athletics, and we all just want her to know, she’s our number one!