Garner couple reach 50th season attending GHV basketball games

GARNER – Every athletic team has its collection of devoted fans. Then, there are the super fans. Bernie and Lorrie Formanek of Garner surely qualify as the latter.

On Friday, Jan. 17, the couple was recognized for attending Garner-Hayfield-Ventura boys and girl’s basketball games for 50 seasons! The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Girl's and Boy's Basketball programs (coaching staff and players) presented them a customized basketball and commemorative framed jersey poster to recognize their 50 seasons of devoted support. The presentation took place in-between the girls and boys games on Friday night.

Bernie Formanek has attended every Garner-Hayfield and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School boys and girls basketball games since 1975. That’s a total of 2,127 consecutive games at the conclusion of the game against Forest City! This streak includes all home and away games for both boys and girls basketball teams.

Lorrie Formanek has also attended 50 seasons (1975-2025) of Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School boys and girl's basketball games, while only missing six total games in the same span.

 “The longevity of their support is quite remarkable when you take into consideration what it takes to attend every boy’s and girls basketball game over the span of 50 seasons,” said Adam Urness, GHV head girls basketball coach.

“This recognition is a small token of appreciation on behalf of hundreds of Garner-Hayfield-Ventura basketball players and coaches that have come to know Bernie and Lorrie as a fixture at every game for half a century.”

Bernie Formanek went to school in Hayfield through his 8th grade year. He attended high school at Garner-Hayfield where he lettered in basketball, track, baseball, and football (where he earned 1st team all-NIC as a center). He graduated in 1970 and attended Iowa Central Community College where he played football.

Lorrie attended a partial year at Crystal Lake before transferring to Garner her kindergarten year. She graduated in 1971 participating in softball, band and vocal. Softball was the first girls athletic team offered at Garner-Hayfield her senior year. 

Bernie enlisted in the U.S. Army serving three years at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs. Bernie and Lorrie were married in 1972 just before heading to Colorado Springs.

The couple moved back to Garner in the fall of 1975 where Bernie was employed at IMT and then eventually at Stellar Industries. Lorrie was a stay-at-home mom before she began working as a secretary at the high school for 36 years.

When asked if they bleed GHV school colors of red and black, both Bernie and Lorrie respond, yes, they pretty much do. The Formaneks have no plans to stop at attending GHV basketball games.

 “That’s what we do in the wintertime,” said Bernie. “We like our basketball, that’s for sure.” 

While they also like to follow college basketball (Iowa, Iowa State, Drake), GHV basketball comes first.

“We got it written on our calendar and that’s what we do,” Bernie stated.

 “It’s quite an honor,” Lorrie said of Friday’s center court presentation.

 “The pride that Bernie and Lorrie Formanek display for our school and basketball teams is second-to-none,” said coach Urness. “Their devotion, positive spirit and unwavering commitment epitomize everything that is special about high school basketball and the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura community.”