A school mascot can be an animal or an insect for one type of person, flower, or other entity. Mascots have been associated with athletic teams since interscholastic team competition began in the post-Civil War era in the late 1800s. The school mascot in its essence is a symbol of pride in the school and a certain spirit. In many cases, the answer to the question of whether pets increase school spirit is obvious. As the Penn State Nittany Lion Sanctuary has illustrated, it is part of school events and celebrations. There is even a tradition that started in 1966 called Guard the Lion Shrine that takes place immediately after the Homecoming Pep Rally with guest speakers, food and drink, and a DJ.
Part of the enjoyable experience of attending a school game is watching the mascots perform. A pet is serving its purpose when it wakes up its audience. Mascots are a recognizable face or personality for a school that builds popularity with fans and encourages team spirit at games and other community events. They add to the history, tradition and pride of the school. It’s not just about putting on a suit. Pets even have training grounds and manuals to help them play their role to the end.
The most memorable mascots embody a desire to support the school and are a visual representation of your affiliation with the school that they are proud to call their own. In fact, many have been promoted by students like Joe Mason from Penn State, who came up with the Nittany Lion symbol, or the students who selected Cy the Cardinal for Iowa State University, Sammy the Banana Slug for whom the students at the University of California lobbied. Santa Cruz.
The tradition of pets in the United States dates back at least as far as the Civil War, where many regiments kept live pets. In the post-Civil War era, intercollegiate and interscholastic competition began to use pets as sports games and intercollegiate rivalries emerged. Some schools do not have pets. An example is the University of Michigan that does not have a pet to entertain at games. His athletic department has argued that there was no need for one and that one would not reflect the spirit and values of athletics at the University. Over the years, he has refused to punish one even harsher, mascots in a variety of wolverine costumes have been proposed. The word pet came to the English language from a French word used to describe anything that brings luck to a home.
Pets can be chosen without much deliberation or care. They can also be selected by popular choice, as has happened more recently than over the years. No matter how they are selected, there is a reasoning behind them. The selected mascots represent something that schools want associated with the symbol that can become a promotional tool as the more identifiable mascots have become.
When it comes to school pets, animal names predominate. Some are more common than others. A perceived image or quality associated with the animal makes some animals a more likely choice, as they participate in supporting sports teams. Therefore, an eagle is a more common emblem than a slug. The most common pets are animals associated with ferocity such as eagles, tigers, lions, bull dogs, bobcats, and panthers. In the same vein, the most common human symbols are warriors, brave men, bosses, raiders, pirates. In addition to animal pets, warrior pets make up about half of human pets. A martial spirit is represented in most pet names. These mascots get viewers to associate that spirit with the determination and will to succeed of the teams.
Pets can have different uses. During games, they get the crowd excited and engaged in the game. They produce smiles and laughter with their antics and are an identifying mark, a symbol of school pride, and a partner with cheerleaders. The most identifiable mascots are the ambassadors for the schools and their sports teams with which they have partnered. One example is Penn State’s Nittany Lion mascot, which makes more than 200 appearances each year, only half of which are at sporting events, despite inspiration for the symbol coming in a game between Penn State and Princeton in 1904. Being a mascot can turn into a career in which one can earn a six-figure income with a professional sports team, which is an illustration of their importance to the franchise they represent.
The selection of pets has taken different paths. Many mascots have been selected because students, school officials, locals, or even journalists have given the university or college a nickname. At BYU in 1923, athletic coach Eugene L. Roberts in 1923 chose the cougar as BYU’s official athletic mascot because it was a native of Utah and embodied the traits of strength, agility, grace, speed, and beauty that he expected BYU athletes will exemplify. Today, Cosmo the Cougar is the official mascot for BYU athletics. Cosmo made his first appearance in front of BYU fans on October 15, 1953 when Dwayne Stevenson, the BYU president, purchased the costume for $ 73 and convinced his roommate to wear it. In 1924, a sports reporter used the description of wildcats for a performance by the Northwestern University football team. That description became identifiable with the team. The first Willie the Wildcat mascot came to life in 1947 in a costume designed by the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity for their welcome float. Mascots are a symbol of school spirit to overcome defeats and victories. Some students find it difficult to identify with a mascot or join teams that do not inspire school pride with winning performances. However, as the Northwestern University football team has revealed, luck may turn for the better. From the lean period to the current peak performing period, Willie the Wildcat has been there for students to identify with their team.
