Cav Man - He's at every football game, basketball game and almost every other sporting event. He pumps up the crowd and rides a bicycle on the Lawn. Everybody wants their picture taken with him. But who is behind the mask?
Three University students volunteer to don the suit, but their identities are known to very few. One of these student volunteers is fourth-year Engineering student Chris Story.
To play Cav Man is a service to the University, Story said, adding he feels it is important that the volunteers' other activities are not associated with the identity of Cav Man.
"People should not confuse the fact that I'm my own person with the icon of the school," Story said.
Story has been Cav Man since his first year after he learned about the opportunity at a pep rally and later saw a flyer advertising the role.
"It was one of those things that I thought would be the coolest thing ever," Story said.
Cav Man's presence is not restricted to Grounds but rather is shared throughout the Charlottesville community. Spirit Coordinator Kelley Haney, who oversees Cav Man from a marketing perspective, said the mascot attends local birthday parties, business openings and visits schools and hospitals in the area.
"[Cav Man is a] character for the community to identify U.Va. with the Cavalier mascot," Haney said. "He's more of a brand for U.Va. and something for kids to recognize [with University] athletics."
For example, many children recognize Cav Man and eagerly await a chance to see him. Others, however, are less than thrilled after an encounter with the mascot.
"Kids react on all spectrums to Cav Man," Story said. "Some want to high-five him, take pictures, and some completely freak out."
Recently, a new mascot has been introduced that is geared more toward younger children who may be frightened by Cav Man. Sabre the Horse is more kid-friendly as a cartoon-like animal, Story said.
Sabre has yet to make his debut into the wider Charlottesville community, Haney said.
Mascot suits, both that of Cav Man and Sabre the Horse, come with some difficulties; the suits are bulky, hot and the head is not very well-ventilated, Story said.
Because of visibility restrictions while wearing the suit, Story said he actually has run over several small children - the funniest of which was during the halftime of one of his first soccer games as Cav Man. Both Story and a young boy were chasing after the ball, and Story ran over the kid while acting as Cav Man. They both fell to the ground, though neither was harmed and the crowd laughed at the incident.
There are many perks that outweigh the discomfort of the suit, however. Cav Man travels with the sports teams and cheerleaders to away games, and Story has been many places as Cav Man, including Tampa, Fla., for the ACC football championship.
For him, one of the best parts of the job is the access Cav Man has during athletic events.
"The coolest thing is [that] you can go anywhere during a sporting event, interacting with people," Story said.
Cav Man team members, such as Story, are selected through a try-out process.
"We are looking for someone that's got a lot of energy and a big personality in the suit," Haneysaid.
If you think you could be the next Cav Man, be sure to attend the upcoming Information Session Thursday at 7 p.m. to learn more about the Cav Man Try-Outs, which will be held at U-Hall March 25 at 7 p.m. If you have what it takes, you could be serving the University by dancing on the football field and crowd surfing in the student section.
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