He's friends with SEC First Team pitcher Braden Webb, his persona has a Twitter account with over 800 followers, and he frequently has dinner with Gamecock Jesus. He's the ultimate Gamecocks fan. But when you think of Gameday Warrior, it's hard not to wonder: Why does this guy do what he does?
The man behind the superfan is 21-year-old Christopher Young, a sport and entertainment management student here at USC. He can generally be found at some South Carolina athletic facility, ranging from Williams-Brice Stadium to the Carolina Volleyball Center, and sometimes he'll end up at more than one in the same night.
So why is this guy at every sporting event, no matter the importance, no matter the time? The answer is simple.
"I do this for the athletes, so that the athletes can have the support and the fan base that they deserve," Young said.
While Young's primary motivation is to support the athletes, he's gotten some incredible experiences as well. "Gameday Warrior," as he is often referred to, traveled to LSU for last year's relocated football game, went to Clemson for a baseball game and even witnessed the women's basketball team win the SEC Tournament and reach the Final Four.
Young points to the LSU game as the best experience of all. "I really got to experience the atmosphere and what other SEC schools do on their game day," he said.
While he's spent plenty of time traveling to support the Gamecocks, Young says the best way to get involved is still at home. For the incoming freshmen, Young believes the best way to get involved is just by taking part in the Saturday festivities at Williams-Brice. However, South Carolina only plays seven home games each year, so freshmen have to get engaged in Gamecock athletics in other ways as well during the fall semester.
"Outside of going to football, they really need to go and check out Stone Stadium," said Young of freshmen who want to get a taste of the pride he has in the school. "When the men's and women's soccer teams get going, that stadium is packed. It's an amazing home atmosphere."
Part of that atmosphere comes from their massive attendance numbers, as the men's team ranked ninth in the nation last season with 2,245 fans per game and the women ranked third, bringing in 2,655 per contest. Young also points to the fans who paint themselves, start chants and dance in the stands for creating a fun time at Stone Stadium.
If you take Young's advice and catch a soccer game this fall, it shouldn't be hard to find him in the crowd at Stone Stadium. It's safe to say he'll be the only person there with garnet and black overalls, a Gamecock fedora, South Carolina logo sunglasses and face paint.
Young says he's had all the gear since his senior year of high school when his mom went to a local store and picked up as much of it as possible for him to wear to a pep rally. "I put them on, and it was just so much fun wearing them, I never quite took them off," Young said.
He may be the most well-known student in the stands at most events, but Young welcomes the idea of other students matching his passion.
"I hope that someone shows the same amount of love and spirit," the fourth-year student said. "That's what the university and these athletes deserve, and that's what they need."
As freshmen pour in for their first semester as Gamecocks, there will be plenty of fans falling in love with the athletic programs as Young did and plenty more fans to fill the seats. There may not be another Gameday Warrior among them, but Young hopes the new students will bring more energy and contribute to the home field advantage. Take it from the self-proclaimed crazy superfan: "You've gotta be a little crazy."