Remembering the birth of Spike, now 31 years old

cheerleader had a thought ue gray Bulldog mascot A store Betty Terry hased the $600 Bulldog suit t, we went and asked Mr he high school principal) if I t " id Ti T "H id game

In the early 1980's high school mascots were not abundant in North Texas and Howe had no intentions of having one either. But a cheerleading tryout that went awry for a returning varsity cheerleader led to the creation of something great

Tina Terry, a sophomore varsity cheerleader didn't make the cut her junior year and to make things worse, her sister Tanja was selected Both sisters and their mother Betty went cheerleading outfuit shopping at the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) store in Dallas The mom of the varsity cheerleader

Even though junior and bought the suit, Gilstrap required her to tryout again against other competitors to be mascot again her senior year Terry won the nomination against several competitors Once Tina Terry graduated from Howe High School in 1986, the family donated the Bulldog suit to the school Jodi Shannon took over as mascot and the name "Spike" first appeared that fall

Since that first fall of 1984, the Spike club has grown to several members Following Terry and Shannon were Heather Turnbow, Brandi Whaley, Michelle Haynes, Casey Keene,

Janet Middleton, Jamie Middleton, Sarah Earls, Courtney Williams, Jennifer Finney, Adrianne Tidwell, Kelly Wrede, Melissa Boatman, Lindsay Nicholas, Ashley Stogsdill, Kelsa Bertrand, Kiley Huntsman, Tayler Earnhart, Hannah Holt, Kallie McClain, Megan Ing, Marissa Rose, Darby Stewart, Rachel White, d Ch i Bl k i th fi t l