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Heritage alumna, Kelsey Backus '07, is in her second year as Gameday Host at the University of Georgia. She graciously agreed to share the following article about her exciting experiences and how her Heritage education helped prepare her for this job.
 Growing up as a die-hard Georgia Bulldog fan, I never dreamed I'd actually be able to step foot between the hedges, let alone do it on a regular basis.
As a Gameday Host, I now find myself between the sacred hedges during every home game in the Classic City.
Last year, as a sophomore at UGA, I had the opportunity to become a Gameday Host. During every home football game, it is my job to be a host to high school football recruits from around the southeast.
Gameday Hosts are each assigned a recruit and his family with whom to spend the day every Saturday. It is our job to "sell" the University of Georgia and convince them that there really is no better place to be.
Contrary to popular belief, there is more to Athens and UGA than football! The job of a Gameday Host is to talk to the prospects about why we love UGA so much and why they should choose Georgia over all of their other offers.
During each Saturday home game, high school recruits come to see what it is like to be a part of the Bulldog Nation. Before the game, Gameday Hosts share a meal with their prospective recruits and their families and sit with them as they listen to an academic presentation and are blessed by an appearance from the man himself, Coach Mark Richt.
Once the presentations are over, hosts and prospects load the buses and head to the field where they go between the hedges at the end of the Dawg Walk to have front row seats and watch the players warm up.
About 25 minutes before kickoff, they head up to their seats and cheer for the Dawgs.
At halftime, they go to the recruiting box where the recruits are invited to enjoy midgame snacks and mingle with each other.
Every year, at the end of the season, Georgia Football hosts a Senior Awards Gala where current and future players come to celebrate the past season. High school recruits are only allowed one official, weekend-long visit to each school that includes meetings with coaches and many exciting activities. Most recruits choose this time to be their official visit and make the gala into a weekend event.
The night before the Gala, as part of the official visit, Coach Richt hosts a dessert reception at his house where current players can meet the players who have committed to play for Georgia and the recruits can get to know their future teammates.
 Last year, I was one of a handful of Gameday Hosts lucky enough to be invited to the Gala and to Coach Richt's house, making for one of the most exciting weekends of my life! This was the highlight of my job as a Gameday Host.
This is my second year as a Gameday Host. Although I miss sitting in the student section with my friends during all of the home football games, it is definitely worth the opportunity to tell recruits about the wonderful University of Georgia, which I have been lucky enough to call my home for the past three years.
During my 13 years at Heritage, I never dreamed I'd have the opportunity to go on the field and befriend future stars of UGA football. I feel the closeness of the Heritage community provided me with the ability to comfortably host these recruits and give them the best visit and UGA experience possible.
-Kelsey Backus, Heritage Class of 2007 | 
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