Every home football game for Michigan State begins with a sprint: Sparty's sprint.
MSU’s mascot races from the tunnel to the 50-yard line, throws down the Spartan flag and proceeds to perform one-handed push-ups before the crowd. But inside the colored armor and heavy boots is a student, trying to remember all the things Sparty has to do — and keep their mascot identity a secret.
The Sparty Mascot Program has been overseen by the MSU Alumni Office since 1989. Sparty tries out for the job, is trained and appears at over 500 events a year, from MSU sporting events to weddings, fundraisers and golf outings.
He crashes classes, gives out hugs and isn’t afraid to pull a couple pranks in the library. He just might be the student sitting next to you in class, but you won’t know until graduation.
Sparty’s identity remains a secret until they graduate, per MSU tradition. The reveal comes at convocation, where former Spartys wear the mascot boots to accompany their cap and gown.
The Sparty Mascot Program contained three graduates in May: Noah Vermeulen, John Morrison and Mitch Mills. Their path to Sparty began with a distinct email from the Alumni Office: “Don’t look back and wish you hadn’t done it.”
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that's a crazy statement. So I've got to hop on the opportunity,’” Morrison said.
Vermeulen remembers the message, and the concept of being Sparty was already in the back of his mind after hearing about other former mascots. He paid close attention to Sparty’s interactions once he stepped on campus, witnessing the mascot’s presence at College of Engineering events, basketball games and following the Feb. 13th shooting.
“Everyone knows that picture of Sparty kneeling in front of the statue,” Vermeulen said. “Seeing the power that had, in the way that it was a symbol of strength for the university and uplifted a lot of students. That was really something special, and I told myself, 'If I can do that, I want to do that. I want to be that for people.'”
The tryout process took around a semester, and becoming Sparty brought its own learning curve. Communicating through sign language and body posture was crucial, just like learning to walk and bearing the suit's physical demands.
