While most people would think of that title as something related to Christmas time….to anyone who has ever been a member of the Marching Southerners would have to agree — this time of year is the beginning of the most wonderful time of year and of our lives.
It’s hard to believe that 23 years ago, I packed up everything I owned in my 1983 Buick Skylark and headed to Jacksonville, Alabama to attend band camp with the Marching Southerners. I still remember the nervousness, the freedom of moving away from home, the pride, and the anticipation of what was ahead.
My rookie year of Southerners was at a time when the upperclassmen could still haze. While as I think back of it now, it wasn’t that bad being a newbie on campus…however, back then I was a little shocked of all that I had to do to become a member of this wonderful family.
Being a Trumpet “Slug”, we had to get a white t-shirt and put the word “SLUG” on it and wear it every single day of band camp without washing (for the record, I still have mine STILL unwashed and stored in a ziplock bag), wear a set of antennas on our heads, our mouthpiece had to be hung on a string, and we had to steal a salt shaker from a local eatery to carry in our pocket. I got mine from McDonalds and being naive freshman, I was sure they were going to put me in jail for stealing it.
We would practice for hours in Mason, outside in sectionals, and outside on the concrete in front of the Pete. Our tans were fabulous, the music was amazing, the first time we practiced in the stadium left me wided eyed, and the day I received my uniform was one of my proudest.
But nothing…absolutely nothing prepares a Southerner for the feeling you get the first time you step off onto the field and perform for the amazing fans of Jacksonville State. To say you’re a rock star as a member of a several hundred person group is the understatement of a lifetime.
You are a SOUTHERNER and now a family member of something that bonds you with thousands of former and future Southerners to come. Only these individuals know what it’s like to go thru this process and to not only be apart of something magical on the field but be able to portray this magic to the fans in the stands.
Over the weekend, our newest members of our family arrived on campus to learn our traditions including “Salvation” and “Stars Fell” and the vets returned to campus yesterday. The music is in the air…EVERYWHERE!
You can’t drive around Jacksonville without hearing the sectionals, hearing the metronome counting out the beat for the drum line, flags twirling in perfect motion, and ballerinas kicking without ceasing. It’s wonderful! It let’s you know that the Southerner’s season is almost here and while we’re at it, we’ll let the guys play some football too.
Why yes Virginia, the Southerners are back in town and it IS the most wonderful time of the year!
(Source: getcockyjsu.com)
That’s right! With a little bit of the Irish, we’ve created a fantastic t-shirt just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!
This green tee declares you are LUCKY but with a little JSU to boot! :-) And only at $15!
This t-shirt is available for only a limited time and only offered in limited quantities so order yours today online at GetCockyJSU.com or at our new store on the square in Jacksonville!
I’m so sorry for the delay! It seems like forever since I’ve been able to blog about the store! However, we’ve been renovating our new physical location and between it and our “sneak” campaign — we’ve either had to keep quiet or have been so physically exhausted our fingers couldn’t move!
We decided to “sneak” our way into Jacksonville — anyone can throw a “Coming Soon” sign in the window but that’s just not our style! We started out with a “Hatching Soon” sign in the window along with a 4 foot tall egg with contractor paper blocking the view! As the weeks of renovation would go by cracks began to become visible….then some feet…then some wings…and even a beak!
And then this week, the paper came down…the sign and the egg were removed and Get Cocky merchandise and signage adorned the windows and doors and we were so pleased to open our doors at 3 PUBLIC SQUARE EAST!
That’s right! Get Cocky is ON the Square in downtown Jacksonville! Right inbetween Romas and Java Jolt!
We’ve got our great selection in their now but so much more is following it! So come in and see us but plan on coming back again and again and see what new things have come in so you too can “GET COCKY!” :-)
Welcome to our new blog! It feels like a whole new world full of new beginnings around here and the excitement is sometimes almost like Christmas for a little kid.
I guess the best place to start this blog is to tell you a little about Get Cocky!
When I was a student (and Marching Southerner) at Jacksonville State University (that’s Alabama not Florida for those of you who are just visiting this), I wanted to have a store that was full of just JSU stuff — not like other stores that had a selection of Alabama, Auburn, UGA, and then a sliver of JSU or dare I say Troy(Sux). No—JUST JSU. I knew the name of the store, I could see the concept but I was a lowly student with no money or real business experience so that’s what it remained — a dream.
Unlike other dreams and business concepts that have floated in and out of my life, this one has stayed true to my heart and passionate in my soul that I would make come true one day.
Many business ventures later, I started bringing up this idea to my staff. We decided that now was the time to start doing the research and making GetCocky a reality.
We made many trips to Jacksonville over 2 years to visit the “other 2 stores” and see what they were offering students and talking with students on what they wished they were offered. And just like any good Chicken, Get Cocky emerged from the egg!
We decided instead of offering what the other stores had, we would design our own merchandise and have it licensed thru the school so that if you want a t-shirt with our designs, you’ll have to get it from us — oh yea, and at lower prices.
We opened our webstore (GetCockyJSU.com) on September 5th as JSU took on Georgia Tech and were floored with the response!
Our goal is to open a physical location for Get Cocky in January 2010 in Jacksonville for Gamecock Fans everywhere to enjoy our merchandise.
Wow! Blog #1 completed…lots more to come!!
Goooo Gamecocks & BLOW SOUTHERNERS!!! C’mon GET COCKY!
