While best known at home games, this vibrant tradition extends beyond them. This is no typical tailgate, with individual vehicle setups and small clusters of friends. It’s a massive gathering that embraces all Catawba fans, drawing anyone who wanders toward the area just past Hayes Field House near Robin Road, more recently referred to as “Alumni Alley.” And it’s all thanks to five individuals: Haney Honeycutt, a long-time local friend of Catawba, along with alumni Johnny Munday ’78, Kent Rabon ’76, Bill Hall ’66, and Bob Setzer ’73. Together, they’ve transformed tailgating into an art form — one that fosters community, builds friendships, and delivers fun. Even more remarkable, their efforts also benefit Catawba.
The tradition began simply as a group of friends enjoying football games, both at home and away. There was nothing formal at first, just “KFC chicken on the hood of the car,” as Kent Rabon recalls, with everyone bringing a dish to share. Perhaps, unofficially, there was some beer in a cooler, but it was always kept discreet. After all, those Solo cups might have been filled with soda.
They’ve been tailgating since the 1990s, with the same core group, though other alumni and friends have joined in over the years. Things escalated when David Bennett became Catawba’s football coach, and the group traveled far and wide to cheer on the Catawba Indians, extending across Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Michigan, and beyond. “When Dave Bennett took us to the ‘promised land,’” Bob Setzer remembers, “that was when it all got big. That’s when it got crazy.” Bill Hall adds, “That was the spark that kept it going.” It was during this time that the group adopted the name “Tailgate America,” a moniker that has stuck. At home, their spot remains behind Newman Park. Haney Honeycutt points out that Catawba also travels well, and many alumni, parents, students, and fans would join them on the road to support the team. Tailgate America continues to travel and tailgate at Catawba’s away games.
The idea of tailgating for a larger purpose first came to them after attending an away game at Valdosta State in Georgia. There, they saw a tailgate offering all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink for $5.00. Haney recalls, “We thought, we can do that!” So, they took things up a notch. Not just feeding fans but channeling their efforts into supporting Catawba athletics.
Back home, Bill created a contact list of about 500 names. “Those are the people we still reach out to,” Bill explains. Each week during football season, they send out an email detailing the upcoming menu and what people should bring. As for attendance, that’s dependent on factors like weather, the team’s record, and how many parents are in town. “The parents, they’re always there,” Haney says with a grin.
A few years later, alumna Shari Graham ’83 suggested that the group create a logo for Tailgate America. She graciously provided several design options, and the group selected their favorite. Now, the logo is proudly displayed on t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and ballcaps.
Tailgate America’s gear didn’t stop with clothing. “Somewhere along the way, we got a trailer and a grill,” Bill recalls. “We’ve used it for every tailgate.” Haney adds, “And every team at Catawba has been fed off of it.”
Their contributions extend beyond cooking and fundraising. The group purchased the flagpoles and flags for Shuford Stadium during its renovation and planted the crepe myrtle trees near the tailgating area. Bill notes, “All of that was under Tom Childress’s watchful eye.” [Tom is retired Senior Vice President of Development]. Before the installation of artificial turf at Shuford Stadium, they even painted the end zones.
Every summer, the group meets to plan the tailgating themes for the season. The last game of the season is always Thanksgiving-themed. Homecoming features Mexican food (a crowd favorite). The menus for other games vary, with past themes including Jimmy Buffett’s “Cheeseburgers in Paradise,” barbecue, beer-butt chicken, and Italian dishes. They used to do a fish fry, but Kent explains, “That was labor-intensive, and fish got expensive.”
Tailgate America welcomes donations from anyone who wants to join the feast or simply support Catawba athletics. Contributions range from $5, $10, or $20 to larger gifts of $100, $200, or $300, all of which help. Parents coming from out of town, who can’t bring a dish, often write a check to help with expenses or cover paper products. “It all goes into the plastic box,” Bill says. The guys cover the food costs themselves and donate the remaining funds to Catawba’s student-athletes. On average, they raise about $7,500 each season. After the season ends, the group meets to “spend hours arguing about which teams should get the funds,” Haney laughs. They couldn’t just divide the money among over twenty teams, as they wanted it to make a meaningful impact. One key factor in their decision-making: “We rewarded excellence,” Haney says.
Alumna Katie Webb, a former Catawba athlete and current development officer, suggested they create a scholarship. As a soccer player, she explained the impact that an endowed scholarship could have in support of student-athletes for generations. “In perpetuity,” Bob muses, savoring the gravity of the phrase. The group agrees that a scholarship will also save them “hours of arguing” each year about which teams to fund.
The Tailgate America Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to a student-athlete with a 3.0 GPA or higher. It will alternate between male and female recipients, as awarded. The first scholarship will be awarded in Fall 2025, while they continue to fund it. They invite anyone interested in supporting the scholarship to join them.
The good these five men have accomplished has already been felt deeply at Catawba, and their work is far from finished. They hope to inspire the next generation to carry on the Tailgate America tradition. They encourage anyone interested to get involved. So many Catawba alumni, parents, students, and athletes have benefited from their generosity that it would be a shame for it to end with them. But regardless of what happens next, the Tailgate America tradition, through the scholarship and beyond, will undoubtedly live on.
Haney sums it all up: “It’s just been a lot of fun. When it quits being fun, we’ll quit doing it.”
