Although it is her first year being the mascot, Senior Blue Devil, who wishes to remain anonymous, is not feeling the pressure of the audience in the stands due to her years in the spotlight on stage. She knows how to engage a crowd and is ready to pump up the fans at WHS football games. Her main goal: make sure that everyone has a good time.

Blue Devil explained that her favorite part of her spirited new position is high fiving her young fans. “Some are scared, but a lot of them take pictures with me and it’s so cute,” she said. “It makes me feel appreciated, even though no one knows who I am.” During one game, a dad and his son stopped to tell her that they loved her spirit. “You’re almost the only reason we go to these games,” they told her.

Blue Devil does not have a coach or a mentor, so she comes up with her own moves by watching videos online that describe how to be a good mascot. However, she noted, it is difficult to learn from the videos. Sometimes Blue Devil stands next to the cheerleaders during games and tries to mimic their routines. “They’re too good and practice a lot, so I never really can keep up,” she admitted.

According to Blue Devil, the stench of the iconic costume she wears during games is indicative of its long history. To get used to the weight of the large head piece, she walked her dog with it on. However, Blue Devil braves the smell and the weight of the costume so she can interact with new people and get them excited about the game, even if she looks silly doing it.

“If people don’t laugh at you, then you are most likely doing something wrong,” she explained. “So don’t be ashamed, just own it.”

Next time you are at a football game, make sure to keep an eye out for our very own Blue Devil. She is always on the move, so you might miss her if you are busy on social media. One reason that she believes the mascot is not more popular is because people are consumed by their technology.

She said, “I feel like in the earlier 2000s or before that, the mascot was a bigger deal because people would watch [the mascot] instead of their phones.”

However, she also added: “I think the school focuses a lot on the sport, not the spirit around it. There is a huge difference between having an amazing team and having amazing school spirit. I feel like if school spirit is super strong, then the mascot is more relevant and more of a ‘big deal.’”

Her advice to fans? “Interact with the mascot. If the mascot is trying to hype up the crowd, then get hyped!”