The Origins of the Gatorade Shower Tradition Explained

For years, we have seen coaches of sports teams get showered in Gatorade after winning a championship, but when did this sports tradition begin?

Gatorade

Gatorade has been around longer than I've been alive. Gatorade was developed by scientists at the University of Florida in 1965. Its purpose was to help the University of Florida's football team, the Florida Gators, replenish fluids, carbohydrates, and electrolytes that players lose during the game.

It wasn't until 1967, when the Florida Gators beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Orange Bowl, that Gatorade took off. The coach of Georgia Tech, Bobby Dodd, commented on why the team lost by saying they didn't have Gatorade, which made the difference.

Over the years, Gatorade has expanded from a single flavor to multiple varieties and is now available on store shelves in more than 80 countries. Gatorade used to come in a glass bottle only, and now it comes in multiple sizes and with the option of sugar-free.

Read More: Michigan Stadium Expansion: Could It Seat 140,000 Fans?

Origins of the Gatorade Shower

The first Gatorade shower took place in 1984, but it wasn’t during a championship game like it is commonly celebrated today. New York Giants' head coach Bill Parcells had been pushing defensive player Jim Burt hard at practice. So when the Giants beat the Washington Redskins, as a form of revenge from the tough practices, Burt dumped a bucket of Gatorade over Parcells' head and the Gatorade Shower was born. The Giants started this tradition after wins, and other NFL teams soon followed.

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The Gatorade shower tradition spread to other sports, including baseball, basketball, soccer, and more. Most college programs, down to Little League baseball teams, also practice the tradition of the Gatorade shower.

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