UGA Spike Squad redefining fanatic in a positive way

The UGA Spike Squad is in its second decade rooting on Georgia Football and taking fandom to new heights with a style that’s all its own.

I casually stroll the streets of Athens, Georgia on a quiet Sunday morning. Quiet because there were no legions of fans, no Redcoat Band, no tailgaters, no vendors, and no bustle of activity trailing up and down the hills of this beautiful college town. There was no football happening, there was just Athens.

As I slowly moved around the familiar streets I began reminiscing and dipping back into my memory banks as a fan and student living here in the 1980s. Just as in the early part of that decade, the Georgia bulldog football team was sitting on top of the college football world and all eyes turned towards the Bulldogs and their fans on a weekly basis.

I thought about the games, the interviews, and the players past and present. I thought about Dooley, Donnan, Richt, Smart, and yes, even Goff.

But I wasn’t here to talk to football players or coaches. I wasn’t here to discuss the strategies of a game or to prognosticate about future games or a second consecutive national championship. It was fans I was here for, and one group of fans in particular.

If you’ve ever watched a Georgia football game, undoubtedly you’ve seen them. Perched in the heart of the student section easily found by television cameras and photographers. A group of students adorned in menacing costuming and body paint, known by two simple words.

Spike Squad

But this is not just a normal group of fanatical students who are looking for their 15 minutes of fame or an excuse to participate in hijinks of drunken debauchery. This is a dedicated and tightly-knit group of fans — and not just anyone can be counted among their ranks.

If there is an elite level for fandom, then the UGA spike squad can most certainly be counted among that echelon. The group was started during the 2010 season and is comprised of anywhere from 35-50 students.

I was in Athens on this cool October Sunday to meet with members of the Spike Squad and to find out not just what makes them so passionate about the school’s athletics, but what they must endure as a part of this fixture at the University of Georgia.

They say first impressions are everything, and never having met a member of the Spike Squad outside the confines of Sanford Stadium, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When second-year member Emma Moon joined me at our downtown meeting spot, there wasn’t a snarling, growling, spike-shouldered woman sitting across from me, but a very soft-spoken and pleasant young lady.

Moon, who hails from Conyers, Georgia, was dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt celebrating Georgia’s 2021 national title, her electric blue hair drawing the eyes immediately. After the basic pleasantries were exchanged, I got the lowdown from her on the Spike Squad and their pivotal role in Georgia athletics.

The first thing I found out was that you can’t just throw on a set of black shoulder pads, paint your face, and walk on to the Spike Squad. There’s a rigorous audition process, and you have to meet certain criteria to be considered.

How do you join the UGA Spike Squad?

“We have an application plus interview process,” Moon told me. “At the beginning of each school year, we hold an interest meeting. After that, students sign up for an interview slot, where they are questioned by an interview sub-committee of the group.”

And are the questions asked in this interview a well-guarded secret? No, not really. This isn’t like some classified and disreputable fraternity initiation. It’s a very open and honest process.

“Prospects are asked some pretty basic knowledge questions at first, like naming off every SEC school. When I tried out, they said I could get bonus points by knowing the divisions each school is in. Knowing the first verse of the lyrics to ‘Hail to Georgia’ is another one, which is kind of niche knowledge but something we all sing when it’s played at games.”

(For those who don’t know, “Hail to Georgia” is the actual UGA fight song, although “Glory, Glory” is much more well-known.)

Other questions interviewees might be asked include, what does “Go Dawgs!” mean to you, what’s your typical Chick-fil-A order (as this is of great importance in the south), and who is your favorite UGA legend?

When I asked Moon who she named as her favorite legend from Georgia, I was expecting the typical Herschel Walker or Larry Munson response. But the sophomore social work major surprised me with her answer.

“Rodrigo Blankenship,” she said without hesitation. “Because he’s just an all-around good man, and honestly, good on him for still getting a master’s degree and still pursuing football as a pro.” It would seem her answer was acceptable to the interview committee.

If you pass the initial interview process, then you’ll find that there’s a commitment level that comes with being a member of the Spike Squad, as well as some rules of decorum that are not flexible.

First and foremost, members are not allowed to drink or be under the influence of alcohol while “padded up” (the term they use when they are in gameday attire) or attending a public event as part of the group.

“Public perception is important to us, as well as not shedding a poor light on the university,” Moon said. “We always make sure that we are viewed as a passionate, 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 divided between games — at least four at any sport, not just football — social events, such as the pumpkin carving party, trivia night, or holiday parties, and philanthropy events.

I was very interested to know how the Spike Squad gets involved with the community and philanthropic aspects of the group, and with all these students have going on I was amazed to hear the amount of time they devote to charity.

“We work with ESP, who helps people with disabilities. They get people to paint-up 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-up pink, and some of them were auctioned off to benefit BBBC after the game. We had Kelee Ringo’s mom help us out with that last year and this year.

“Also this year we tried to branch out more in terms of working with the community. We had an event with the Athens Community Council on Aging, and we got involved in volunteering with some local elementary schools. We are trying to expand the reach of our booster club, which is registered as a non-profit, in trying to find more ways in which we can give back to the community as well.”

Clearly, the Spike Squad wants to be known not only as the most intensely fanatical group of Bulldog supporters but also as advocates for the greater community in Athens. It’s encouraging and refreshing to see a group of young people willingly taking on so much in order to make a positive impact.

And like all students, when the Spike Squad wants to travel to a game to help support their beloved Bulldogs, there’s no free ride. They must foot the bill themselves, and they do that by any and all means possible, including a lot of help and promotion from booster club sponsor, William Perry (no, not The Fridge).

While showing dedication to the group and being involved in charity and community events are all important aspects of being a Spike Squad member, the undeniable focus of being part of this group is to support Georgia athletics, and (big shock) to have fun doing it.

I asked Moon and a few other members about some of their favorite and least favorite things, getting some interesting replies.

Which fanbase is the most disliked by Spike Squad members? The answer I most often got was South Carolina. It seems fans of Georgia’s little brother to the east want to stir the pot a little more than others.

Who do many Spike Squad members consider the biggest rival right now? No, not Auburn, Florida, or even Georgia Tech. It’s Alabama. “Given the status of Nick Saban versus Kirby Smart, it’s easy to love that rivalry,” one member told me.

When I asked about the rivalry with Georgia Tech, I got the most Dawg-Esque answer ever.

“She’s canceled. What is she doing here? Who is she?”

It seems Spike Squad doesn’t have a lot of respect for Georgia’s in-state rival.

SEC Nation vs College GameDay? Surprisingly, I was told the experience with SEC Nation coming to Athens was more enjoyable. While both ESPN shows bring a lot of attention, it seems the insanity surrounding College GameDay makes for a harrowing day on campus.

Night games vs day games? Overwhelmingly, the night game was the answer. Playing under the lights at Sanford Stadium, the frenzied atmosphere, and “Light Up Sanford” at the start of the fourth quarter give Spike Squad members some extra juice.

Are noon games necessarily bad? No, actually they are preferred over 3:30 games by squad members. “Yes, you have to get to the gate by 8 am for a noon game,” Moon said. “But you’re done by like 3:30-4ish and then you have the rest of the day. Those midday games kind of kill your whole day, and the sun is the worst in the 3:30 games.”

And who is the biggest imposter in the SEC right now? Well, the Spike Squad members don’t have a lot of faith in Ole Miss. Given the way Lane Kiffin’s team ended the season, it can be viewed that their feelings were justified.

The UGA Spike Squad has become more than just a fixture at Sanford Stadium. They have successfully woven themselves into the community of Athens, Georgia, and bring more than just attitude and savage fandom to games.

Countless hours of dedicated work have made them fan, player, and celebrity favorites. Even Atlanta rap star Waka Flocka Flame got into the act, padding-up to show his support for the Spike Squad and the Bulldogs in the past.

But most of all, they have the love and support of the University of Georgia athletic teams and everyone involved with them.

Spike Squad forever!