After getting a taste of the rewards of being a UH superfan, Sam Christopher is ready to take the next step and become number one.
Christopher, a junior from Broomfield, CO, is currently eighth on the All-Time-Top-100 leaderboard on the H Rewards app.
Students can download the H Rewards app to stay updated on upcoming sporting events and get into UH games for free. Students can also accumulate points from going to games and redeem them for prizes.
Some of these options include a Buckshot 2.0 Wireless Speaker, a $25 DoorDash gift card, and even a variety of Apple products like an Apple Watch, Apple AirPods Pro, and Apple iPad.
Christopher managed to collect over 8 thousand points last season and turned them in for the Sweet Enemy letterman jacket. The jacket is now proudly displayed on his wall as a reminder to keep up the good work.
Although he may be eighth on the leaderboard now, Christopher’s goal this year is to take the number one spot this year.
“My consistency in going to all games is going to keep me at the top of the leaderboard,” Christopher said. “And then, going to games many people don’t go to will hopefully propel me up to the top.” Christopher is a regular at both women’s basketball games and water polo matches. Compared to other sports, many students do not frequent these events despite the high success both programs achieved last year.
“I’m really looking forward to our women’s basketball team.” Christopher said. I see them winning another Big West title, and Lily Wahinekapu is super fun to watch. She’s a great point guard and really has been leading the team.”
His love for sports stretches farther than just UH athletics. Christopher has a favorite team in every pro league in the US and closely follows professional surfing too.
Despite living in Colorado and now Hawaiʻi, his favorite sports teams come from all over the country.
Some of his favorite teams include the Green Bay Packers (NFL), Colorado Rockies (MLB), Washington Capitals (NHL) and Indiana Pacers (NBA). He even keeps a close eye on the Thunderbirds, a major junior hockey team based in Washington state that is a part of the Western Hockey League.
“They’re my favorite team from the WHL, but the league is part of a bigger league, the CHL, which has two others,” Christopher said. “But they’re probably my second favorite junior team.”
His love of hockey started when the US faced Russia for hockey during the Sochi
Olympics and TJ Oshie won it for the US during a shootout. This event occurred in 2014 when Christopher was only nine years old.
His passion for sports only strengthened when he entered high school. His new found joy of supporting his school’s teams never went away, and instead transitioned over when he began to attend UHM.
“That feeling of being part of a community of fans who are all rooting for a common goal regardless of background is a super cool thing," Christopher said.
Christopher encourages other students to take part in supporting every team at UH. He may even find his next competitor in the race for points.
“Just go. It’s worth it,” Christopher said. “If you’re a sports fan, it’s hard not to love college sports, and if you’re not, I’d say give it a try. I never watched volleyball before I came here, and now it’s one of my favorite sports to watch.”
Since coming to UH, Christopher has found a strong interest in volleyball. He even describes the atmosphere in the Stan Sheriff Center as “electric.”
Volleyball fans can continue to support the Rainbow Wāhine as they begin their conference play. Upcoming matches include the team’s home matchups against CSU Bakersfield on Friday, Sept. 22, and CSUN on Sunday, Sept. 24. Men’s volleyball will also gear up to play during the Spring 2024 season.
“Keep playing hard and keep representing the islands well,” Christopher said. “You’ve got the support, so just go out there and perform.”
Christopher will continue to be present at as many games as he can to become the number one UH athletics superfan.
