There are five things that make a Robinson home game a Robinson home game. The first four consists of the football team, the cheer team, the marching band and the student section. The final piece that wraps all of it together is the senior bouncing around in polyester “chainmail” swinging a shiny plastic sword.

As the football team dons their jerseys and the marching band clasps their uniforms together, Alex Galvin (’23) retrieves the red, black and silver Knights regalia. Since the first football game of the 2021 fall season, Galvin has become a recognizable face at every home game under the helmet of his outfit as the official mascot.

“I’ve always been a big supporter and advocate for school spirit and pride, so when I found the costume in my closet, I told myself to give it a try. Once I became the official mascot, I thought there was no better way to show school pride than being the literal symbol of the school,” Galvin said. “Honestly, I would say that wanting to be the mascot simply comes from my desire to [represent] the school and support our place.”

In Galvin’s years as the school mascot, there have been two costumes. The classic foam costume, locked away for special occasions and the Galvin-ized costume most commonly worn. The latter carries sentiment.

“[My favorite part of the costume] has to be the cape for sure. It really brings together the whole outfit and when it drifts behind you it looks really cool. Also, the cape on the original costume has been through so much (including the paint stains on it) that it’s really classic to that outfit,” Galvin said. It’s also worth highlighting the sword because no Knight is ever complete without [their] weapon, and brandishing the sword is really the thing that gets people going.”

Robinson’s mascot is officially known as Thomas “Tommy” the Knight. But to Robinson students, the Knight is beyond a reference to Thomas R. Robinson, the Hillsborough County educator for whom the school was named after.

“As silly as it seems, for me, the mascot is all about getting new people to be passionate about Robinson,” Galvin said. “Especially as a senior, my hope is that if younger students see a 17-year-old dressed up in a costume, making a fool of himself and not caring, then they’ll feel comfortable going out of their comfort zone to embrace the spirit.”

Not just anyone can be the mascot. Galvin’s rise to success as the Knight stems from his relationships with the students, teachers and faculty members.

“I think Alex is an amazing mascot because not only is he really interactive with the crowd, he has energy throughout the entirety of an event. Whether it’s during a football game or during a pep rally—he never loses that momentum,” SGA President Sela Teplin (’23) said. “I also think he does a really good job of being personable towards all of the students and teachers so it’s fun getting to interact with the mascot.”

While not everyone is able to recognize the person under the “armor,” he’s still a friendly, familiar face to many when they attend one of Robinson’s home football games.

“He always gives off his positive energy and gets everybody hyped when he’s around,” Carsyn Clack (’26) said.

Sword in hand, Galvin hopes to spread the school’s Pride Through Excellence motto to his peers.

“If people look at the costume and they’re filled with their own support and passion for even half a second, then I’ve done my job,” Galvin said.