Everybody loves a good old goofy mascot. They give people high fives, hype the crowd and make fools of themselves.

This story is about how things work behind the mask.

Stepping up

To be mascot, you have to try out, and that’s no easy task.

The first step is to go to a cheer meeting and meet the coach(es). You need to tell them you’re interested in trying out. They’ll give you a packet that has all the information you need before anything happens. You need to answer a bunch of questions, get a physical, recommendations, and etc.

Then, after you have filled out all of the forms, you’ll need of think of a skit to do. The skit has to be a certain length and can include music if desired. You can have other people in your skit, but you can’t have people ‘help’ you with your skit.

For example, my try-out skit was called The Ugliest Monster. I needed to sit under a sheet (with the mascot head on) and have people come and lift the sheet up and pass out because I am the ugly monster. Then I had an authority-figure come up and look at me, then I was the one to pass out because they had become the ugliest monster.

Mascot tryouts can be intimidating if you aren’t prepared, but they can be a lot of fun, just like being mascot should be.

Suiting up

One of the number one rules is to HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE! while in the costume. Especially in a heated area, the suit can get really hot and it can get really hard to breathe. So whenever breaks are available, make the most of it by drinking as much water as possible so passing out doesn’t happen.

Another rule is to never reveal the identity (which is why this is anonymous). Revealing the identity to anyone but the cheerleaders could be a problem. It could cause unwanted attention and could lead to people calling the mascot mean names or making fun of them.

The last important rule is to have fun. It may get hot as heck in that suit, but being mascot is a privilege. The mascot is the face that everyone thinks of when they think of Hays High School. Hays needs to be represented by a fun but respectful mascot.

Shouting out

Being mascot requires a lot of time and energy. Mascots are expected at every pep-rally, some football games and at other school events. This means that the mascot’s schedule should be flexible.

Also, being mascot, people are going to need to be hyped up about the game. That’s what being mascot is all about. Mascots should rile the crowd up by telling them to yell their schools name or mascot, or by interacting with them like taking pictures, hugging, high-fiving, and just goofing around.

In the suit, the movements have to be extremely exaggerated to be recognizable as a movement. Plus, the mascot is supposed to be a fictional character who is more fantasy than life-like, so the movements have to be doubly exaggerated in order to achieve that effect.

Being mascot is all about having fun, but also about representing the school in a fun and memorable way. If you decide to become mascot for any school someday, remember to have fun, hydrate, and get the audience involved!

GO REBS!