04 Dec GAME DAY SYNERGY! Football Saturdays in “The Shoe” with THE Ohio State Spirit Program
From Game Day traditions to raucous rivalries to what it means to be a Buckeye, join us for a day in the life of THE Ohio State Spirit Program during an epic football Saturday in ‘The Shoe!’
Join us in this sitdown with Spirit Program Director, Melissa McGhee!
What are your favorite traditions with this team?
The Ohio State University is a very traditional school. Our program is fortunate enough to be on the sidelines around the entire stadium during football games and the tradition associated with an Ohio State Football Game is off the charts!
We perform pre-game as a spirit program (cheer & dance team) with our iconic mascot, Brutus Buckeye on a performance space called “Grassy Knoll.” Fans love getting to engage so closely with the spirit teams and Brutus!
I always tell our program that it is a privilege to wear a Block O on your chest and it is moments like these that you will remember for a lifetime!
Talk about the philosophy of the spirit program and what you believe makes it so successful year after year.
Our mission as a spirit program is to honor the past, maximize the present, and impact the future. We work really hard to create meaningful connections to our historic alumni. After all, their foundation paved the way for the current program’s opportunities and it is important that we never lose sight of what a privilege that is.
When you work with college kids, you know you are going to have them for a finite period of time—four years. We demand energy and effort no matter the circumstances and always want our student-athletes to “show up.” Show up for yourself, of course, but equally important to show up for your teammates.
We try to stay on the forefront of what’s next and push ourselves to innovate where it is appropriate. Winning the national title as ‘Game Day National Champions’ last year was a dynamic and memorable moment for our ENTIRE spirit program as a whole. Even more, the icing on top was jetting off to Atlanta for the BCS National Football Championship to support our amazing football team who ALSO brought home the National Title!
As the program director and coach yourself, what do you look for in student-athletes when recruiting for Ohio State?
We look for student-athletes that are passionate about Ohio State and understand the gravity of the commitment that is required to be a D1 Athlete. Our team culture demands a team-oriented individual able to see the bigger picture. We appreciate people that are humble, down to earth, responsible … and it is a huge bonus if they are down to laugh and can handle my sarcasm! We, of course, work really hard but try never to take ourselves too seriously… There is rarely a practice that goes by where someone isn’t cracking a joke or telling a funny story. We very much rely on our team to have a point of view, stand up for what they believe in and have a voice.
For high school athletes who have their eyes set on OSU, what’s your advice to start preparing for recruitment opportunities?
We look for well-rounded individuals who want to be a part of our OHIO STATE traditions and spirit program. We search for those who are able to conduct themselves professionally (our team members frequently engage in conversations with many alumni, university employees, donors, and fans) and have strong academic success! Our team culture and family atmosphere are vital to the team’s success, therefore a team oriented individual is also important.
The most important thing to make sure you do is communicate! Meet and stay connected to the coaching staff and continue to update us on the application process (head to OhioStateBuckeyes.com for details on video requirements and timelines). We also strongly recommend coming to clinics and reaching out via email as it is a great way to meet the coaching staff while also getting to train with other prospects and current members of the team!
Briefly share why Ohio State is unlike any other university?
If you are a Buckeye… you already know!
“How Firm Thy Friendship… O H I O” – To be a Buckeye is having an extended family for life!
GAME DAY TRADITIONS!
Victory Bell: The bell is rung before each game to get the crowd energized.
Towel Tradition: Fans receive a towel to wave during specific moments in the game, creating a new visual element for the crowd.
Brutus & Spirit Program Charge the Field: The mascot, Brutus Buckeye, along with the spirit program charges out of the tunnel, leading the football team to the field.
The Band’s Entry: The Ohio State University Marching Band enters the stadium before the team runs out to the field. If you get the chance to witness the iconic SCRIPT OHIO… you’ll be an Ohio State fan for life!
“Dotting of the i”: A distinguished guest, often a former player, “dots the i” in Script Ohio.
O – H – I – O: At key points of the game, the entire stadium roars by yelling O – H – I – O throughout all 4 quadrants of the stadium.
Hang On Sloopy: The Ohio State Marching Band traditionally plays “Hang on Sloopy” at the end of the third quarter, but as of the 2025 season, the exact timing is now flexible and the song will be played when the band and all of us coaches feel the energy is right in the second half. This has been a time-honored tradition since 1965!
Carmen Ohio: At the end of each game, all athletes, students and alumni gather for the ‘chimes’ and singing of the Alma Mater – CARMEN OHIO.
M-ization: During the week of the Michigan game, all “M”s on campus are covered in red tape with an “X” on them! This tradition not only takes place on campus, but across alumni organizations around the world!
