The wiggly tail. The bouncy walk. The big, sweet eyes. The charming head tilt, silly tongue and toothy grin.

It all adds up to Blaze, and when you see him skipping along the sidelines, pulling his little red wagon at Gurney Derby, hugging a student, or making a child squeal with laughter, you know a special kind of magic is happening. Because Blaze brings something intangible to the mix: part joy, part goofiness, part mystery, and pure UAB spirit.

But how did we end up with the world’s cutest dragon as our mascot? As Blaze completes three decades as the embodiment of the UAB Blazers, we look back at his history and unpack what, exactly, makes him so wonderful.

What’s in a mascot?

While mascots often take the form of costumed creatures that are integrated into a professional sport or college athletics program, they all trace their roots back to “Handsome Dan,” a Yale student’s bulldog who became the official school mascot in 1889.

Today, schools are represented by lions, tigers, wolves, bears, eagles, ducks, bulls, horses, hogs, gators, wolverines, and myriad other animals. Some mascots are human: a cavalier, a mountaineer, a deacon, a Spartan, a Seminole. One is a nut. One is an orange. One is a tree. One is a fighting okra. But in all of NCAA Division I athletics, there are only two dragons: Drexel University’s Mario the Magnificent, and our very own Blaze.

But Blaze wasn’t UAB’s first mascot. The Pink Dragon was introduced in 1978 but was soon replaced by Beauregard T. Rooster, who represented the University from 1979 to 1992. After a brief attempt at a human mascot with Blaze the Viking in 1993, UAB decided to keep the name but return to its dragon roots, fortunately choosing a green suit, rather than pink. The mascot we know and love today made his first appearance at a UAB Men’s Basketball game on January 6, 1996, as an extension of the Blaze logo, which had been rolled out in October 1995 as part of UAB Athletics’ re-branding.

Thirty years on, Blaze is more popular than ever. That’s due in no small part to the explosive growth and achievements of UAB Athletics, UAB Medicine, and the world-renowned research and education that are the hallmarks of the University’s academic enterprise.

But Blaze’s success also has a lot to do with the student-athletes who don the signature suit and bring him to life. It’s a huge commitment on top of their classes, jobs, and personal lives, but they do it with pride and dedication and learn to “become Blaze” regardless of their personality or physical differences. “When they put the suit on, it’s a real transformation,” said Cody Sellers, spirit coordinator in UAB Athletics. “Even while they’re just with me in the locker room, they go completely silent as soon as they put the head on.”

(Re) Building the Blaze program

Sellers, a Birmingham native, has been at UAB for almost nine years. After cheering at the University of West Georgia and working there after graduation, Sellers took a job in 2016 with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers spirit squad with every expectation to stay there. But after getting married in the summer of 2017—the same summer that UAB Football announced its return—he began to reconsider his plans. “The UAB position opened up and it felt like it was meant to be, to move back home,” he said. “There was a lot of momentum around the program and Athletics, and it ended up being a great fit.”

Sellers said that first season back was a combination of organization and chaos. The football program, as well as the spirit teams and auxiliary programs like the UAB Marching Blazers, had to start from the beginning in many ways, but they were also able to build on what they had done in previous years. It was both familiar and brand new at the same time.

“My predecessor was Ryan Martin, and we had worked together for many years teaching cheerleading camps,” Sellers said. “She had set the program up for success. So I knew I was coming into a program with certain standards in place, with academically and athletically gifted students I was excited to work with. There were a lot of things I didn’t have to worry about because of the groundwork Ryan had laid.”

As for the Blaze program, Sellers said that only one student returned that fall, so they were effectively starting over. “What did Blaze look like running around Legion Field? We weren’t really sure about all of that. We got to re-create from scratch. It was a little hectic because it was filled with so many unknowns, but Legion Field did a great job as far as giving us access and letting us walk around, because until you walk up stadium steps in a Blaze costume, you haven’t really done anything,” he laughed.

The “Flame Squad”

Blaze climbing the steep steps in Legion Field is a funny image, but wearing the Blaze costume is no joke. The student-athletes who are Blaze may have come from their high school cheer squads, mascot programs, or even football teams, but being on the field on Friday nights is a far different thing than wearing a heavy, quilted suit on a scorching hot Saturday. “They have to condition differently,” Sellers said. “It’s sometimes so hot that the cheerleaders’ shoes melt on the turf. They all have to get themselves in shape. Going from being in Bartow in the air conditioning to being outside when it’s 100 degrees helped us figure out the limits for Blaze. How long can we keep each individual in the suit and maintain our safety standards? That means about 30 minutes max if you’re in the heat.”

Typically, four students participate in the Blaze program every semester, which Sellers says is really the minimum number to be able to attend all the athletic events and other requests that come in. On a given football game day, it’s not unusual for all four students to rotate in and out of the suit. “We divvy that up to one person per quarter, switching in and out,” he said. “We have one person for pregame, and if we go to different places throughout the stadium or tailgate areas, there’s a lot of walking involved. It’s a much bigger area to cover than Bartow.”

Students who want to be Blaze first try out, and then once selected, go through an intensive training program to learn how to wear the suit—including managing the weight of and limited vision from the large head—as well as the trademark walk and gestures that define Blaze. Because the costume is large and heavy and comes with unwieldy wings and a big tail that can easily knock things over, the student-athletes have to be graceful and careful but also make big, dramatic movements that can be seen and understood from a distance. Because Blaze is silent, the students use hand signals to communicate to Sellers and the team when they need guidance or a break.

Most importantly, the students have to learn Blaze’s personality. “He’s similar to a four-year old child,” Sellers said. “He has a curiosity and a way of moving his body that communicates that. Our students have to master that personality and learn how to express that entirely through gestures. What does he look like when he’s walking? What does he look like when he’s communicating non-verbally to a little kid? All those things need to look the exact same, regardless of who is wearing the suit.”

Sellers said that both male and female students perform as Blaze, and while the goal is to keep their heights within a certain range, audiences can sometimes tell if Blaze is a little shorter or taller at times. “We’ve had a spectrum since I’ve been here. We’ve had individuals who are quiet and shy. We’ve had the high school football player that came to UAB for the academics but still wants to be involved with athletics somehow. We’ve had the former high school mascot who just wanted to continue to be in the spotlight at the next level. But no matter the student, when they put on the suit, it’s like a flip of a switch. They are no longer themselves—they are Blaze.”

Students in the Blaze program are known as The Flame Squad and take their education very seriously. “All of our kids come to UAB for the academics,” Sellers said. “No matter their major, academics is our first priority. It’s not like they’re driven to be Blaze all the time, they just want to be involved in something on campus. And it can be tough, because a lot of the appearances pull them out of classes. It’s a big responsibility for them. We hold them accountable for their grades, for their schedules, their time management. When they leave this program, we absolutely want them to be ready for the next step in their lives. We tell them, ‘We’re going to treat you like adults and we’re going to hold you accountable like adults.’”

Everyone loves Blaze

As Blaze turns 30, he’s more popular than ever. His own social media accounts share his lovable personality directly with his followers. He’s become a big part of signature programs like Growing Up Green and Gold from the UAB National Alumni Society and Blazer Buddies from UAB Athletics. He’s beloved by students, and from his motorcycle-drawn chariot, he leads the new undergraduates in their runout at the first football game.

He’s also being more broadly embraced by the UAB community thanks to the brand refresh, which has removed the restrictions limiting Blaze to UAB Athletics. Today, with the approval of the Office of Marketing and Communications, Blaze spirit marks can be used by anyone at UAB for their team gear, swag, and promotional materials.

As to why Blaze is so popular, Sellers said he represents the institution’s growth and prestige. “Everyone loves Blaze. This generation now has been more exposed to UAB Athletics, and UAB also got so much national recognition for our expertise during the pandemic. People are just proud of UAB, and they want to be involved with something that’s growing.”

This year, as you see Blaze charming spectators and cuddling babies, think about all the work that goes into making him such a singular representative of UAB. Thanks to the dedication of the student-athletes, Sellers, and Blaze program team, we’ve got one very special dragon to celebrate.

A Blaze Family

For a decade, UAB’s mascot has been a major part of Seth Shierling’s life.

Alumnus Seth Shierling, who works in UAB Dining and is also the current Blaze Coordinator in UAB Athletics, owes a lot to Blaze. Shierling donned the mascot suit from fall 2015 to spring 2020, impacted by the end of UAB Football, its return, and then the pandemic. But despite the many ups and downs, Shierling says that his experiences with the program helped make him who he is today.

UAB Magazine: Are you the longest-serving Blaze?

Seth Shierling: I do know a couple of my close friends who had the role for four years, but I don’t believe anyone has been in the role more than four years.

UAB Magazine: When did you become the Blaze coordinator?

Shierling: I didn’t transition immediately into the role after grad school. The pandemic really limited what Blaze was doing during that time. I rejoined the program in the 2022 football season in the coordinator role after watching from the stands in the 2021 season.

UAB Magazine: Did Blaze impact your love life?

Shierling: Yes, I married my wife Kristie Lloyd-Shierling in August, 2021. She currently works at UAB on the hospital side and was on the rifle team from 2015-2019. We originally met in 2017 while working at the old Snoozy’s bookstore together, but naturally our paths crossed more throughout the semester as student-athletes. We dated a couple of years, and then at Senior Day in 2019, with the assistance of Blaze, Cheer, and 35,000 Blazer fans, I asked her to marry me.

UAB Magazine: We hear Blaze was at your wedding. Is that true?

Shierling: Yes, he was part of the reception dinner and mingled with the guest taking pictures, dancing, and getting into any mischief he could find his way into. A perk of being part of the Flame Squad here at UAB is Blaze will come to your wedding for no fee. It’s one way we give back to our alumni who spend so much time together and become a family. But Blaze is more than happy to attend anyone’s wedding who request him—it’s something he loves to do. You just fill out the event request form on our Instagram page and prepare to cover the event and mileage fees.

UAB Magazine: What does the Blaze program mean to you and your family?

Shierling: That’s a great question. I personally don’t think I would’ve have graduated had I not become a part of the Flame Squad. It helped improve my academics, gave me structure and a sense of belonging, and it helped my drive in all areas of life. Without it I wouldn’t be who am I today. My mom enjoyed it as much as I did. She helped with props, supplies, and attended all the games, and she has continued to be a big part of the program. Kristie and I recently welcomed a new baby boy into our family, and at the first football game this season we were able to introduce him to Blaze for the first time. It was definitely a really cool moment for me. At this point, I would consider Blaze a family member rather than a school mascot.