The roar of the crowd, the high-fives and fist-bumps, the heckles and jokes, the smiles and praise, the outreach and community all play a large role in Caeden Hunter’s years at Michigan State University, as they do for many who enjoy the academics and camaraderie of a university experience. Hunter’s experience, however, was enjoyed from a unique – and secret – perspective. You could even say he looked at it through a whole different set of eyes, literally. “I was Sparty for all four years,” he explains, “and it was awesome to be able to do all the things that Sparty does for the University and the East Lansing community.”
Sparty is one of the most beloved and recognized college sports mascots in the country. He’s armored. He’s ripped. He’s big and he’s so cool that students and alumni from rival schools can’t resist a high-five. “It’s funny,” says Hunter with a chuckle, “I’d get heckled by rival fans and then, they would come up and ask to take a picture with me.” Started as a paper-mâché Spartan “head” in 1955, Sparty’s look and function have evolved throughout the decades. Today’s version debuted in 1989 and represents much more than sports. He represents the MSU community and its spirit. Present at over 800 events a year, including charity events, open houses, weddings and more, he is an institution all his own. “Sparty is a character but we refer to him as a person,” says Hunter. “When I was Sparty, Caeden no longer existed.”
For Hunter, the process of becoming Sparty started after his graduation from Grand Blanc High School. “My mom is an MSU alumna and thought I should apply to the mascot program,” he explains. “I filled out the application and submitted a paper I wrote about why I wanted to portray Sparty.” After he was accepted into the program (with an undisclosed number of other students), he spent much of his first year at MSU in training to learn what it would take to be Sparty in a public setting. “Training was interactions,” he explains. “Sparty doesn’t speak, so we had to learn how to communicate. We also had to learn how to move. Sparty is big – he’s 7’ 2” and visibility is very limited. I had to remember to always duck when going through a doorway. I hit my head quite a few times and bumped into my share of tables and chairs,” he laughs.
“Sparty is a symbol of what one person can accomplish. Sometimes, all it takes is just one person with good intentions to make a difference.”
Those portraying Sparty must also be physically able. The suit weighs 35 pounds and the temperature inside it tends to be at least 35° warmer than it is outside. For example, on a 70° day, it can be pushing 100° in the suit. “I lost 25 pounds as Sparty,” adds Hunter, and provides a couple more obscure Sparty facts. “The suit is made by Custom Characters, Inc. – they make all the Disney character costumes. I’m pretty sure that we are the only mascot made by them,” he informs. What most people also fail to notice is that Sparty has fingernails.
“I used the nails to communicate or get a person’s attention by tapping on my breastplate,” Hunter adds.
With over 800 community engagements scheduled in a year, Sparty needs help keeping up, so the program includes a number of student representatives. “I can’t tell you how many there are, but I can tell you that two graduated this year,” he adds.
Another challenge for Hunter was honoring the tradition of keeping his alter ego a secret from family, friends and other alumni until his big reveal at graduation. “My parents knew and a few of my friends at school eventually pieced it all together, but they all did a good job keeping it secret. For a long time, my friends thought
I just had the worst boss,” he smiles. “Every time they wanted to get together or go to a game, I just told them my boss wouldn’t let me off work.” It was all revealed during graduation when Hunter walked across the stage wearing Sparty’s boots – a cherished tradition of the program. “I remember standing in line with the boots on, hearing all the people around me whispering about it,” he says. “When I walked onto the stage, everyone cheered. It was nice because, although I heard a lot of cheers for me as Sparty, this time I felt they were cheering for me personally. Some of my friends had no idea and their reactions were great.”
Since his first appearance as Sparty at a charity event on Forest Akers Golf Course as a freshman, Hunter has traveled the United States, been a part of family happiness at weddings and birthday parties, visited school classrooms making kids smile, appeared on the news and TV and of course, been the focus of crowds at sporting events.
A few of his appearances stand out. “I did the Big10 10k race in Chicago and it was so much fun hanging out with all the other school mascots,” he remembers. “I was on the news as Sparty.” Hunter appeared with the Spartan basketball team at Madison Square Garden and during their 2nd round NCAA Tournament win over Marquette at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. Another stand-out event was this past November when the MSU football team traveled to Penn State for their white-out game. “The atmosphere there was so cool!” he says. “Their mascot did his reveal at mid-field during that game and it was great seeing that happen.”
With such a busy schedule as Sparty and his academic commitments, other extracurriculars were few and far between, but Hunter was able to find a little time. “I was able to go to a couple of games as myself,” he says. “The MSU-UM game that we won 37-33 was one that stands out.”
Hunter recently graduated MSU with a degree in biochemistry/molecular biology (with a minor in theater) and today, works at Emergent BioSolutions in Lansing. He’s grateful for the opportunity to be Sparty. “It was a great and rewarding experience,” he says. “I bleed green and white now, for sure!” The biggest takeaway from putting on the suit is something that inspires him every day. “It’s his impact on the community,” he states. “Sparty is a symbol of what one person can accomplish. Sometimes, all it takes is just one person with good intentions to make a difference.”
