Have you ever wanted to be a mascot? It looks like fun. It looks like a lot of work. It looks like it would be hot wearing those costumes. Is it all fun and games? Can anybody be a mascot?
Cedar Valley Athlete Magazine recently spoke with “Westy”, Waterloo West High School’s mascot; “T.C” (The Cat), University of Northern Iowa’s mascot; and “Buck”, the Waterloo Bucks mascot. Yes, they all have real names, but most don’t want to divulge who they really are underneath those heads. Buck says “Buck” should remain anonymous. T.C. says his (or her) identity is kept secret “only because it’s no fun to be a mascot if everyone knows it’s you. Then they know it’s a guy in a suit and the whole point of what we do is to create the character of T.C., not (me) as T.C.”
Westy just became the mascot for West High at the beginning of this academic year. T.C. started as a mascot at UNI in December of 2004. He had not been a mascot in high school because it “only let drama students be the mascot and I’d never even thought about being a mascot”.
Buck just finished his eighth year as the Bucks’ mascot. He also worked for the Cedar Rapids Kernels for four years and the Cedar Rapids RiverRaiders for the one year they were in existence. He’s also substituted for the Iowa Cubs and Cedar Rapids Roughriders. He’s done corporate work for such clients as AOL, Kellogg’s and the Cartoon Network. Surprisingly, he was not a mascot in high school or college.
What made you want to be a mascot?
Westy-I thought it would be a fun thing to do. I knew that I could have fun with it, and I love to make people laugh. I also was confident I could energize the student body.
T.C.-I actually was searching the UNI web site trying to find out how I could join “Mac’s Maniacs” (now Jake’s Jungle) and I saw the help wanted ad. I’ve always been a Panther fan and I just thought “who better than me?” Plus, I have a lot of energy to burn.
Buck-It looked like a great, fun job—which it is!
When did you first realize you wanted to be a mascot?
Westy-When I watched (previous mascot) at pep assemblies and sporting events, I began to think, “I could really have some fun with that”! I never thought it would happen, but this summer it just worked out.
T.C.-When I met the graduating T.C. and he talked me through and showed me how much fun it is to be a mascot. Then I got to experience it for myself for the first time and I loved it!
Buck-I think it was something I always wanted to do.
Have you always considered yourself to be a cut-up?
Westy-I wouldn’t exactly call myself a cut-up, but I do love to laugh and make people around me laugh.
T.C.-I’ve never considered myself one but when I revealed to my two best friends from high school what I was doing, they thought it was the perfect job for me.
Buck-Yes, I was voted “wittiest” in high school.
What skills does it take?
Westy-First of all, it takes courage. When I went in front of the whole school at a pep assembly and did a dance to the rap song, it was a risk. I was worried about how it might turn out, but I practiced a lot and it turned out well. Second of all, it takes creativity. It is hard to come up with ways to keep moving and keep the crowd entertained and not be boring.
T.C.-There is a degree of athleticism involved, if you want to be a great mascot and maintain constant motion. You never want to just stand around. You have to do every motion 10 times larger than you would as a normal person because you are a giant cartoon and should act accordingly. You also need to be able to think on your feet and improvise. Everything in the UNI-Dome, McLeod Center or wherever is a prop. A mop isn’t a mop, it’s a guitar or a joust. Just have fun and make people laugh.
Buck-You have to be energetic and quick to respond to things. You really need to stay in character. It helps to know some dance moves.
Have you attended workshops or clinics?
Westy-I have not attended any workshops or clinics, but I have watched quite a few of YouTube videos or mascots dancing to get ideas.
T.C.-Our squad attends a yearly camp in Milwaukee for college mascots. Some of the schools who attend with us are Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Drake. We have also qualified and competed at college mascot national championships in Orlando two years in a row. In total, T.C. has competed there four times. We are the smallest school that qualifies and have to go up against some very good mascots, like “Smokey” from Tennessee, “Aubie” from Auburn, “Bucky” from Wisconsin.
Buck-I went to Mascot Boot Camp with the original “Philly Phanatic”. I really learned a lot. I also have taken some improv acting classes. That helped, too.
How much time does it take in your week?
Westy-It usually takes a few hours a week. It can be more or less, depending on the sports schedule.
T.C.-It depends what season we’re in. When football, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball start to overlap, plus on-campus appearances, it can make for a very hectic week. Football game days are always fun, though. We go out to pose for pictures with tailgaters and then have a full four quarters to mess around.
Buck-During the season, it can be time consuming if we have a lot of games in one week. Taking care of the costume takes some time, too. During the off-season—not much time at all. There are some appearances now and then, but mostly the off-season is quiet. Working for two teams was incredibly time consuming.
What do you get out of it?
T.C.-I’ve made a lot of friends from a lot of different schools, I’ve met professional mascots, I get to be on the field at football games, we get some UNI clothing, but most of all, we get to have a lot of fun. Being a mascot is a great stress reliever. You can just go out there and go crazy and no one knows it’s you.
What’s the best and worst part about being a mascot?
Westy-The best part is when you have the whole audience’s attention and you know they are enjoying it. The worst part is the heat.
T.C.-The best part (sounds corny) is seeing how much little kids love T.C. It absolutely makes some kids’ days and we all love that. The worst part is kids that like to terrorize mascots—pull tails, punch or whatever. It comes with the territory, but sometimes you just have to run away.
Buck-People treat you like a celebrity—they want photos and autographs. It’s like everybody wants to hang out with you. It makes the rest of life pretty dull! I can’t think of any worst parts.
What do you think it adds to the atmosphere of an athletic event?
Westy-I think it lightens the mood, and gets people more pumped up for sporting events.
T.C-I think it adds a ton. Great mascots get the crowd going, they lead the student section in chants, they put on skits, they make people laugh.
Buck-The mascot cheers on the team, but more importantly, you are the host. You want everyone who comes to the park to have a good time. Sometimes, kids get pretty bored with the game so you are there to keep them happy, too.
How do you handle the heat in the costume?
Westy-I just try to drink a lot of water before I step in, and have a lot of water ready after I get out. It is tough to deal with, and I am trying to find better ways right now.
T.C.-You just have to drink plenty of water and get used to it. Know your limits. It’s really not as bad as people think.
Buck-I’ve gotten pretty used to it and built up endurance. Some of the costumes I’ve worn are definitely more challenging than others. Parades are always tough. Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. I’ve never really had any problems with the heat.
What was your most rewarding experience being a mascot?
Westy-Dancing at the pep assembly, which everyone laughed at and enjoyed.
T.C.-At an appearance in Des Moines when they had Drake, UNI, Iowa and Iowa State’s mascots all there for a football kickoff season promotion. They also had mascot Olympics. We had to race against each other and there was a disco dance-off. I won the disco dance-off because of T.C.’s superb dance skills. It was rewarding because the Iowa, Iowa State and Drake fans started chanting “T.C.! T.C.!” in appreciation.
Buck-The Bucks are lucky to have fans that come to every game. I’ve watched their kids grow up over the years and it is great to know that “Buck” is a part of their lives and memories.
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