The student section at Hopkins boys and girls basketball games, formerly known as the Lindbergh Loonies, has to find a new name after recent events.

Last year, the Hopkins school board decided to change the name of the Lindbergh Center to the Royals Athletic Center. This name change occurred due to controversy surrounding Charles Lindbergh, who the gym at Hopkins was named after. 

Lindbergh, a famous aviator and one of America’s biggest icons in the mid 1900’s, has been widely celebrated for decades. At the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, there is a terminal named after Lindbergh. After many years of his praise, awareness was raised over his anisemitic beliefs.

The Royals Athletic Center, which many students and staff simply refer to as “the RAC” was a great change for Hopkins, as someone like Lindbergh representing such a large part of the school is unacceptable. Now, the one problem that must be solved is changing the name of the Lindbergh Loonies.

The Lindbergh Loonies are easy to spot, as they occupy an entire section of the bleachers. Each member of the Loonies has their own customized jersey, and the creative chants they come with make opponents fear them. 

Because the athletic center at Hopkins is no longer named after Lindbergh, the Loonies must come up with a new name before the start of the basketball season. Options including the Den Defenders and the Royal Goon Squad have been considered, but new athletic director Jared Ellerson and new leaders of the student section are still brainstorming the best name possible.

The boys basketball team will begin their season on December 2 with an away game in Farmington. The defending state champion girls basketball team began their season last week with an invitational at St. Thomas Academy. They will play their first game at the Royals Athletic Center on December 2 with an invitational against Benilde-St. Margaret’s.