As the sun inched down the horizon, counting down the time until the start of the game, the crowd got settled into their seats. They watched as the mascot ran around the stadium, jumping up and down to get people ready to watch the game. Even when the game was in full swing, the mascot was still running around keeping the crowd excited throughout the night.

Although being the big red Cardinal might not have sounded like fun to everyone, Junior Olivia Wehrung decided that this was the job for her. She was one of the two people who dressed up as the mascot at games, pep rallies, and other events. Although Wehrung started her career as a mascot in high school, her desire to be the school mascot started earlier than that.

“One of my friends is a varsity cheerleader, and she was talking about the cheerleaders trying to find a school mascot,” Wehrung said. “I had wanted to do be the school mascot in middle school, but I didn’t end up doing it, so I thought, ‘why not?’”

On game days, Wehrung prepared to be the mascot by drinking bottle after bottle of water during the day to make sure she was hydrated leading up to the game. Then, she arrived early and to get dressed.

“I get in about 20 minutes before the game starts,” Wehrung said. “There is a vest that has pockets for ice packs, and I put that on. I put on my tights and then I put on my suit, my shoes, and my head, then I move around a little bit and get into character and go.”

During the games, Wehrung did a lot as the mascot from hyping up the crowd to taking pictures with people. However, her favorite part was interacting with the little kids that came to the games. She had some particularly memorable experiences with the little kids.

“This past game there was a little boy, who was probably two,” Wehrung said. “I was up in the stands and I walked by him and I hear screams of terror coming from him. When I went onto the track, he was standing there looking at me, trying to figure out what I was. I started dancing around and then he started dancing around too, so that was really fun.”

Her other favorite part about being the mascot was the fact that she was no longer Junior Olivia Wehrung, she was the mascot. Because of this, she had a greater sense of freedom to do what she wanted during the games.

“I really enjoy being able to be a completely different person,” Wehrung said. “I have school spirit, but I do not run down the hallways yelling ‘Go Bellaire!’ In the suit, I can do basically do whatever I want and people will say ‘Oh, well, the mascot is doing it, so it is whatever.’”

While in the suit, Wehrung would run around in the stands, run around in front of the stands and visit the opposing team’s audience. This meant that Wehrung did not have much energy left after the games.

“It takes a lot of energy,” Wehrung said. “You are moving around the entire time and you have a ten pound thing on your head, so it is hard. If my friends go to the football game and want to do something afterwards, I tell them ‘nope, I am going to go to sleep.’ It takes a lot of energy.”

Being the school mascot was a very rewarding experience for Wehrung. She enjoyed showing her school spirit while doing something that is very unique.