The UGA Spike Squad enters its second decade cheering on Georgia football and taking fanaticism to new heights with a style all its own.
I walk leisurely through the streets of Athens, Georgia on a quiet Sunday morning. Quiet because there were no legions of supporters, no Redcoat Band, no tailgaters, no vendors, and no bustle in the hills of this beautiful college town. There was no football, there was just Athens.
As I moved slowly through the familiar streets, I began to reminisce and dive back into my memory banks as a fan and student living here in the 1980s. As at the start of this decade, the team of Georgia Bulldogs football was at the pinnacle of college football and all eyes were on the Bulldogs and their fans each week.
I thought about matches, interviews, players past and present. I thought of Dooley, Donnan, Richt, Smart, and yes, even Goff.
But I wasn’t here to talk to football players or coaches. I was not there to discuss game strategies or to make predictions about upcoming games or a second consecutive national championship. I was there for the fans, and for a group of fans in particular.
If you’ve ever watched a Georgia football game, you’ve no doubt seen them. Perched in the heart of the student section, easily spotted by television cameras and photographers. A group of students decked out in menacing costumes and body paint, known by two simple words.
Spike Squad
But this is not a normal group of fanatical students looking for their quarter of an hour of fame or an excuse to participate in drunken debauchery. They are a dedicated and tight-knit group of fans – and anyone can be counted among them.
If there is an elite tier for the fandom, then the UGA spike team can most certainly be counted among that echelon. The group was created during the 2010 season and is made up of 35 to 50 students.
I was in Athens on this chilly Sunday in October to meet the members of the Spike Squad and find out not only what makes them so passionate about school athletics, but also what they have to endure as a member. of this group at the University of Georgia.
They say first impressions are everything, and having never met a member of the Spike Squad outside of Sanford Stadium, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When second-year member Emma Moon met me at our meeting point downtown, it was not a surly, grouchy, shoulder-padded woman who sat across from me, but a young woman. very soft and pleasant.
Moon, from Conyers, Georgia, was dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt celebrating Georgia’s 2021 national title, her electric blue hair immediately catching the eye. After exchanging basic courtesies, she told me about the Spike Squad and its central role in Georgia athletics.
The first thing I discovered was that it’s not enough to just put on a set of black shoulder pads, paint your face, and get into the Spike Squad. There is a rigorous audition process, and you must meet certain criteria to be considered.
“We have an application and interview process,” Moon told me. “At the beginning of each school year, we organize an interest meeting. Next, students sign up for an interview slot, where they are interviewed by an interview sub-panel of the group. »
And are the questions asked during this interview a well-kept secret? Not really. It’s not like an initiation into a secret, disreputable brotherhood. It’s a very open and honest process.
“In the beginning, applicants are asked basic questions, like naming all of the SEC schools. When I tried they said I could get bonus points by knowing the divisions of each school. Knowing the first verse of the lyrics to ‘Hail to Georgia’ is another, which is kind of niche knowledge but something we all sing along to when it’s played at games. »
(For those unaware, “Hail to Georgia” is UGA’s true fight song, though “Glory, Glory” is much more well known).
Other questions that can be asked of respondents include: What does “Go Dawgs!” mean to you? what’s your typical Chick-fil-A order (because it’s such a big deal in the south), and what’s your favorite UGA legend?
When I asked Moon what his favorite Georgian legend was, I expected the typical Herschel Walker or Larry Munson answer. But this sophomore social work student surprised me with her answer.
“Rodrigo Blankenship,” she said without hesitation. “Because he’s just a good man, and honestly it’s good for him to get a master’s degree and continue playing football as a professional. It would seem that his answer was accepted by the interview committee.
If you pass the initial interview process, you’ll find that there’s a level of commitment that comes with being a member of Spike Squad, as well as some decorum rules that aren’t flexible.
ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 31: The Spike Squad cheers on their team during a game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 31, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
First and foremost, members are not permitted to drink or be under the influence of alcohol while “padded” (the term they use when in gameday attire) or when they participate in a public event as a member of the group.
“Public perception is important to us, as is not giving the university a bad image,” Moon said. “We always make sure to be seen as a passionate person, maybe a bit crazy, but a positive representation of the school. »
Spike Squad members are required to attend a minimum of seven events per semester. These can be split between games – at least four for all sports, not just football – social events, such as pumpkin carving party, trivia night or holiday parties, and philanthropic events.
I was very interested in learning how the Spike Squad gets involved in the community and the philanthropic aspects of the group, and with all that these students have to do, I was amazed to hear the amount of time they dedicate to charity.
“We work with ESP, which helps people with disabilities. They have people paint with us every year to get them involved,” Moon told me. “We also work with Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer. For a home game, we had our pads painted pink, and some of them were auctioned off for the benefit of BBBC after the game. Kelee Ringo’s mother helped us last year and this year.
“This year, we have also tried to diversify in terms of working with the community. We organized an event with the Community Council for the Elderly of Athens, and we got involved in volunteering in some local primary schools. We are trying to expand the reach of our booster club, which is registered as a non-profit, by trying to find other ways to give back to the community. »
It’s clear that the Spike Squad want to be known not only as the most fanatical group of Bulldogs supporters, but also as defenders of the Athens community. It’s encouraging and refreshing to see a group of young people putting so much effort into making a positive impact.
And like all college students, when the Spike Squad wants to go to a game to support their beloved Bulldogs, there’s no freebie. They have to pay the bill themselves, and they do it by any means possible, including the help and promotion of the booster club sponsor, William Perry (no, not The Fridge).
While dedication to the group and involvement in charitable and community events are important aspects of Spike Squad membership, the undeniable purpose of this group is to support Georgia athletics and (big shock) to have fun doing it.
ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 3: The UGA Spike Squad support the Georgia Bulldogs during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 3, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
I asked Moon and a few other members what their favorite and least favorite things were, and got some interesting answers.
What is the most hated fan group by Spike Squad members? The answer I got most often was South Carolina. It seems fans of Georgia’s little brother to the east want to rub salts in the wound a little more than most.
Who do the members of Spike Squad consider their biggest rival right now? No, not Auburn, Florida, or even Georgia Tech. It’s Alabama. “Given Nick Saban’s status against Kirby Smart, it’s easy to love this rivalry,” a member told me.
When I asked about the rivalry with Georgia Tech, I got the most Dawg-Esque answer ever.
“It’s cancelled. What is she doing here? Who is she ? »
It seems Spike Squad doesn’t have much respect for the Georgia rival.
SEC Nation vs College GameDay? Surprisingly, I was told that the experience of SEC Nation coming to Athens was more pleasant. While ESPN’s two shows are getting a lot of attention, it seems the craziness surrounding College GameDay is making the day on campus all the more harrowing.
Night matches versus day matches? The evening game was the answer overwhelmingly. Playing under the lights of Sanford Stadium, the frenetic atmosphere, and the “Light Up Sanford” at the start of the fourth quarter gives the members of Spike Squad a little more energy.
Are midday matches necessarily bad? No, actually Spike Squad members prefer them to the 3:30 p.m. matches. “Yeah, you have to be out the door at 8 a.m. for a noon game,” Moon said. “But you finish between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m. and then you have the rest of the day. Those noon games kill a bit all day, and the sun is the worst for the 3:30 p.m. games. »
And who is the SEC’s biggest impostor right now? Well, the Spike Squad members don’t believe in Ole Miss very much. Considering the way Lane Kiffin’s team ended the season, it’s safe to say their feelings were justified.
UGA’s Spike Squad has become much more than a fixture at Sanford Stadium. They’ve successfully integrated into the Athens, GA community and bring more than just attitude and wild fandom to the games.
Countless hours of dedicated work have made them favorites of fans, gamers and celebrities. Even Atlanta rap star Waka Flocka Flame joined in, covering up to show his support for the Spike Squad and the Bulldogs in the past.
But above all, they have the love and support of the University of Georgia athletic teams and everyone involved.
Spike Squad forever!