Gibson Southern Cheer Director Melissa Matsel has been on the hunt for multiple individuals to fill the position of the Titan mascot for the 2023-2024 school year. The Titan mascot has been popular amongst sporting event goers since 2017.
“It’s always neat to see the mascot there (at sporting events), especially for little kids and families, that’s huge,” Matsel said.
Gibson Southern has been without a full-time mascot for around three years. Some students, like freshman cheerleader Gracelynn Williams, think that having a full-time mascot again would be beneficial.
“It’s the face of our school,” Williams said. “If a mascot came out to our game, it would be something different; it sets us apart from other schools. It’s a big part, a huge part. He plays a huge role.”
The Titan mascot attends various sporting events. Without an individual to take on the role full-time in the past few years, individuals in the community stepped up at important events.
“In a perfect world, [they attend] as many [events] as possible,” Gibson Southern Athletic Director Nick Hart said. “We’ve had some people fill in the past years, in tournament-type things. We had somebody step-up and do it last year as boys and girls basketball were going through the tournament.”
In the past, the Titan mascot has attended cheer practices. The role is demanding and tiring, so training is helpful. Matsel hopes to find two or three students to step into the position.
“The ultimate thing would be to have two to three people that are the Titan mascot who can rotate,” Matsel said. “I know in the past, we really haven’t had anybody stay in it for a full game because it is exhausting. Colleges, or professionals, they do train for it.”
The Titan mascot does receive certain perks, such as a sports pass and facilities to get ready.
“We do sports passes and all that type of stuff to try and make them feel a part of it,” Hart said. “We try to give them as many perks as we possibly can for helping out and adding to the atmosphere of the game.”
Additionally, individuals receive food and water during half-times. The Titan mascot also has the opportunity to letter.
“Ultimately, if we did have somebody that was to do it for a full year or for their high school career, they could potentially earn a varsity letter,” Matsel said.
Last week, Gibson Southern hosted the 14 News Sunrise School Spirit event. An individual contacted Matsel and attended the function as the mascot.
“I just walked around and flexed my glutes, gave some fist bumps and did a few silly things, like photobomb the interviews and crash some of the games,” the Titan mascot said.
The individual spent the morning interacting with the crowd and taking part in the games. They enjoyed playing the part and are hoping to continue attending events as the mascot, although it was a tiring ordeal.
“I definitely want to do it again, every school deserves a good mascot,” the Titan mascot said. “It was really fun, but it was really exhausting by the end of it.”
Matsel is continuing her search for more students to rotate the responsibility of being the Titan mascot. If interested, please contact Matsel at [email protected]. Individuals will be asked a few questions to determine if they are a good fit for the role.
“It’s a good way to give back,” Hart said. “I think that the kids that have done it in the past have really enjoyed it. You kind of get the best seat in the house. Just being a part of something, I think, is always beneficial.”
