Why I’m A Fan of the Tennessee Volunteers

Welcome to the refreshed Rocky Top Talk! To celebrate the new look and feel of our sports communities, we’re sharing stories of how and why we became fans of our favorite teams. If you’d like to share your story, head over to the FanPosts section to write your own post. Each FanPost will be entered into a drawing to win a $500 Fanatics gift card [contest rules]. We’re collecting all of the stories here [https://www.sbnation.com/why-we-are-fans] and featuring the best ones across our network as well. Come Fan With Us!

I am an avid supporter of the Tennessee Volunteers. But it hasn’t always been that way.

I was born in Atlanta, and though most kids in the state of Georgia are told from birth that red and black are their favorite colors, I was born into a family more partial to white and gold. Several of my family members attended Georgia Tech, so that became my team. I loved - and still do, but we can keep that on the down low - Georgia Tech and I have many great memories as a Yellow Jacket fan.

But in 2010, I moved to Mt. Juliet, Tenn. - a place I had visited many times to see family, but would have never imagined I’d live. I went through high school having many friends who fervently supported the Vols, but they just weren’t my team. I wasn’t born into it.

But when it came time to pick a college a few years ago, the University of Tennessee just seemed to make sense. It was a good in-state school with plenty of opportunities and major athletics. So I chose to go to UT. And in terms of football and basketball, I didn’t necessarily look to become a Vols fan, but I knew I would definitely attend the games.

My first game in Neyland Stadium was the Oklahoma game in 2015. I had been to dozens of college football games before, but Neyland was just different. The checkerboard in the stands, the Pride of the Southland forming the T, the deafening noise - it was all just mesmerizing. Though the outcome of that game was heartbreaking, I still hold that as one of my favorite sports memories of my life.

After that, it was over. I knew I was a Vol For Life. And in my first two years in Knoxville, though there has been some heartbreak, I’ve had many great memories as a Vols fan - beating Florida, the Battle at Bristol, the Hail Mary, beating Kentucky in basketball (twice) and the list goes on.

I’m very glad I chose to go to Tennessee because it led me to the Vols, and I now cheer as if I’ve been wearing orange my entire life.

My ticket for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is in the Tennessee student section. I still don’t know how I’ll feel watching Tennessee and Georgia Tech play football, but I know I’ll be wearing orange.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. SB Nation Why Are You a Fan Contributor Sweepstakes starts on 8:00am ET on May 25, 2017 and ends at 11:59pm ET on June 8, 2017. Open only to authorized SB Nation contributors who are legal residents of the United States, 18 years or older. Click here for Official Rules and complete details, including entry instructions, odds of winning, alternative method of entry, prize details and restrictions, etc. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Sponsor: Vox Media, Inc.