University of Tennessee Athletics
Largest Spirit Day in the Nation Hosted on Rocky Top
September 08, 2018 | Cheer, Dance & Mascots
September 8, 2018 - KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Nearly 700 cheerleaders and dancers from across the state took part in the annual Spirit Day held by Tennessee's Spirit Program in conjunction with Varsity Spirit.
38 colleges and universities from around the nation, including nine from the Southeastern Conference, host Spirit Days each fall, but none were as large in 2018 as the one held today at Tennessee. 48 cheer and dance teams, mostly from middle schools and high schools, were represented in the group.
Spirit Day culminates in a pregame performance on the field in Neyland Stadium where all 700 participants were joined by Tennessee's Spirit Teams to lead the crowd in cheers and a dance. The performance started with the classic Tennessee cheer, "Give Me a V" followed by a fast paced dance to Rocky Top that resembled the production style and quality of a major bowl game. The performance concluded with the cheer, "It's Great to Be a Tennessee Vol."
Before performing in Neyland Stadium, participants met in Thompson-Boling Arena where they spent more than four hours practicing and preparing for the pregame performance. With so many young cheerleaders and dancers on campus, Tennessee's cheer, dance, and mascot teams capitalized on the opportunity to showcase Tennessee Spirit and recruit the next generation. All three spirit teams kicked off the day's activities by performing a "showcase" of pyramids, basket tosses, and dances that wowed the crowd.Â
Following the pregame performance, Spirit Day participants enjoyed watching the game versus ETSU where the Vols won 59-3.
