Mascot “Speedy” Keeps Richmond Smiling
David Chappell
Friday July 25, 2003
For four seasons now, Gearles has been performing for young and old alike at the Richmond Coliseum as “Speedy,” the Speed’s ultra high-energy mascot. Sporting a massive costume that includes a huge cat-like head with a sly grin that makes breathing difficult at times, Gearles has made “Speedy the cheetah” an integral part of the arena football experience in Richmond.
Only 21 years old, and a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, Gearles has already been in the mascot business for six years. And while arena football and the Speed are his favorite gigs, Gearles has developed his craft by performing as a number of different characters.
In fact, this interview was conducted while Gearles was in his “Diamond Duck” costume, taking a short break from his other summertime sports job…that being the mascot for the Triple A International League’s Richmond Braves.
Gearles got his big break into the mascot business in high school while dating a girl who was part of a private cheerleading group. Her coach, who knew Gearles as being a high school mascot, was the then current “Diamond Duck” and was ready to move on. Gearles was soon offered the job and assumed the “Duck” persona in 1999 and has not looked back.
Gearles’ name got out, and soon he did some work as “Rebound the Rottweiler” for the Richmond Rhythm, the city’s IBL basketball team. “Speedy” came the next year, and the smiles from the crowds have never abated.
Since the Speed and the Braves play at roughly the same time of the year, there are invariably several dates a year where Speedy and the Diamond Duck are on their respective stages at the same time. Gearles says in those situations he puts on the Speedy costume, and a stand-in performs the role of Diamond Duck. “I’ve prioritized to the Speed, because I’ve actually been with them longer overall because I took a break from the Braves once when I played Scooby Doo at Paramount’s Kings Dominion,” Gearles explained.
Gearles says Speedy and the Diamond Duck butted heads again recently, this time in the 2003 Best Mascot of Richmond Contest put on by Richmond Magazine, which will be on newsstands in August. You might say Gearles won this award twice.
“Ironically, Diamond Duck won best mascot and second place went to Speedy,” Gearles remarked. “So that was pretty interesting, but it made me feel good about myself.”
One of the things that Gearles enjoys most about the character of Speedy is that he was able to develop and create the character himself.
“I got to create Speedy; Speedy is my own creation,” Gearles stated. “I’ve been given free reign with Speedy, and I can do pretty much whatever I want with him. Each character has its own persona, its own personality and its own tendencies. I’ve worked with some big names like the “Chicken’ and a couple of Dave Raymond characters…Dave Raymond used to be the ‘Phillie Fanatic’…but I don’t pattern Speedy after them. It’s Speedy, not ‘Phillie Fanatic Speedy.’ As a professional in doing a pro mascot, you have to be creative and create your own persona.”
It is Gearles’ belief that the role of a mascot in a league driven by entertainment values, like arenafootball2, is a big part of the “af2 experience.” Dance team routines and contests knock right up against the play on the field. Af2 has end of the year awards for teams’ dance squads and websites, but no such recognition for mascots. And that troubles Gearles a bit.
“Honestly, [the league] hasn’t shown any kind of interest in us,” Gearles lamented. “I’m the only mascot that I know of that openly gets on ArenaFan and supports my team. I try to always project the Speed’s image and project me…I mean this is my job and I do my best to be good at it. I would be so pleased if there was an ‘af2 Best Mascot Award,’ mainly because you never hear anything about the mascots. I work my butt off, and I’d like to think that I’d have a pretty good chance to win an award like that. Mascots really are an integral part of arena football.”
According to Gearles, portraying a character very much mirrors that character’s sport. Arena football in a fast-paced, in your face entertainment driven product, so Speedy tends to reflect those types of attributes in his personality.
“Speedy gets a lot of face-time, he’s a big part of the team,” Gearles said. “The team actually treats Speedy like a player…I get taped up and stretched before every game. I hang out with the team. Arena football is about entertainment—family entertainment. I’m very involved with the fans, and I see myself as an ambassador for what the Speed encompasses.”
“The Diamond Duck is docile, goofy and pulls a lot of pranks, but Speedy is nothing like that,” Gearles went on to say. “He is not a handshake mascot. Speedy is aggressive and can even be a little mean at times. As Speedy I break dance, throw things into the crowd and make fun of the other team. Arena football is tough and physical, and I take the Speed seriously. It’s not just a job for me…the Speed and arena football are my favorite sport. I’m one of the biggest Speed fans there is. I really do get absorbed into the character of Speedy at the games.”
“I believe Speedy should always be visible, so I rarely take breaks,” Gearles continued. “I always try to be on the field or in the stands. I play around with the opposing team’s fans—the Cape Fear fans were nice and played along with me earlier this year. It’s fun to see some goofy guys accepting the role of a mascot and having some fun with it.”
Speedy also never shies away from interaction with the opposing team’s players or coaches. “In my job I’m supposed to make my fans dislike the opposition…make our team look like the better team,” Gearles said. “I love messing with the other teams. It’s so much fun to make fun of them and see the faces of the people surrounding them.”
Gearles relates that most of the opponents take his antics in stride, such as when Speedy put bunny ears on Charleston coach Rik Richards in a game earlier this year. The Speed (6-9) face Richards and his Charleston Swamp Foxes (8-7) in a rematch this Saturday night in Richmond’s season finale.
Despite Gearles’ aggressive attitude with Speedy, he has not endured any physical attacks from people that might take him the wrong way. “None at all,” Gearles said. “You might expect with the nature of arena football that I’d face some of that, but not at all. But everybody knows Speedy…when you come to a Speed game you’ll know Speedy when you leave. Speedy is respected and he’s enjoyed…everyone loves Speedy.”
As for the recent incident where a Milwaukee Brewers’ “sausage” mascot was struck lightly with a bat by Randall Simon of the Pittsburgh Pirates, formerly of the Richmond Braves, Gearles says he was glad the mascot did not blow the matter out of proportion.
“Randall Simon seems to be a really nice guy,” Gearles observed. “I think he was just playing around, and I think it was noble and humble of the [mascot] to act like she did. He made a mistake and was goofing off. But it wasn’t a big deal, and she wasn’t looking to sue or something and all she asked for was the bat.”
While Speedy doesn’t hesitate to push the envelope at times, Gearles is conscious that a significant portion of his audience are young children. And he will adjust his act accordingly as the situation warrants.
“I’ll be doing something real stupid to aggravate the other team, and there will be a kid behind me…then I’ll turn around and give [the child] a hug and totally change persona,” Gearles explained. “I know that kids are watching me…it’s family entertainment but adults are probably going to enjoy it a lot more than the kids. There’s got to be something for the kids…but also for the adults.”
As the Speed have struggled on and off the field in 2003, Gearles says the team’s difficulties require that he become even more involved to make the games an enjoyable experience for all.
“I was sorry to see Coach [Richard] Davis go,” Gearles reflected. “Coach Davis treated me like a man, and he was an incredible guy to me. [Owner] BK Katherman is an awesome guy…I’m not choosing sides between them. [Interim coach] Billy Jarvis is an awesome guy too. This year the Speed had a lot of rookies, and we’ve struggled a lot because of that.”
“All of that makes my job harder,” Gearles continued. “I don’t mean to sound egotistical, but in a season like this season I have to pull some more weight. I’ve got to stay out there longer and work harder because [the fans] are there for entertainment. If I see people start to leave, I’m going to go out on the field and do something crazy to get them to at least laugh or leave on a high note. It’s also money leaving too, so I try to think business wise as well.”
Much like the Speed’s players who are looking to get noticed and move up to a major league team, Gearles also has aspirations of becoming a mascot for a major league franchise.
“I’m enjoying myself here in Richmond, but I’m trying to move up,” he said. “I’m getting ready to do an audition tape, to try to help me get to the next level along with contacts I’ve already made. In the video, I’ll be creative and try to show my talent through the character…of course I’ll do skits as well.”
“If Arena1, football or MLB offer me the chance…hey, I’m there,” Gearles added. “I’d give 120%, and I think I have the experience to perform well at the next level. I enjoy what I do, and feel I’m good at it. It’s my passion.”
If Gearles does not graduate to the major leagues of the mascot business immediately, he still has a lot on his plate currently. He is a day care teacher this summer, and plans to pursue a doctorate degree in child psychology in the future. Also, if Gearles does not move up during the coming off-season for the Speed, plan to see him again doing his thing at the Richmond Coliseum for a fifth season this spring.
“Definitely…I’d definitely come back to the Speed,” Gearles exclaimed. “I love the Speed, they are my number one team of any sport. I have the most fun and enjoy the games the most with the Speed. Hopefully good things will happen next year for the Speed.”
Not a lot of good things happened to the Speed this year, but through it all, Gearles was still able to keep Richmond smiling.
David Chappell is a native of Richmond, Virginia. He has closely followed local sports in Richmond and vicinity for over thirty years, and Arena Football 2 since its inception. David currently writes extensively for a website that he co-founded which documents professional wrestling in Virginia and surrounding areas from 1974-1986. A former elected prosecutor, David is currently a practicing attorney in a large downtown Richmond law firm.
