In the U.S, football was king, and football games were a huge part of the high school culture at school. One of the most important parts of a football game was the mascot, the person who dressed up as a giant red bird then ran around the football stadium and field to get the crowd excited before and during the game.

Although that might not have sounded like fun to everyone, Junior Olivia Wehrung decided that this was the job for her. She, along with her partner, made up the duo 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 prepares to be the mascot by drinking bottle after bottle of water during the day leading up to the game. Then, she arrives early and to get dressed and ready to go.

“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 has 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 wasn’t 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’m not running 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 its whatever.’”

In addition, being the school mascot meant running around in the stands, running around in front of the stands, and other high intensity activities. This means that Wehrung doesn’t 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 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.”

With all that said, being the school mascot was a very rewarding experience for Wehrung. She got to show her school spirit while doing something that is very unique.