Penn Manor High School was looking for a new look for their "Comet Man" mascot.  (Imagine a cross between Jay Leno and the Tick - That was Comet Man.) 

After a meeting of the minds final designs were considered, the students voted on their favorite look, and the new character was sent to an extreme makeover under lock and key.

The new Comet mascot is part alien, part super-hero, with furry arms and legs for hugging future Penn Manor vartisy athletes, moon boots and gloves for taking on rivals, and a navy sequined Comet-flame hairdo that would make the Heat Miser jealous.

(And would you believe there is less than 2   square feet of foam padding in this Comet?  The only thing that's going to get hot are the poses he strikes under the lights!)

-Erin

CHOOSING A COSTUME May '05

Many organiztions look into costumes this time of year.  Here are some suggestions what to ask:

1. What physical skills do I want my mascot to possess?  Think about the simple things as well as the impressive things - bending over A LOT to hug a kid, going up and down steps, being able to move around without the head falling off.
2. Do I want my character to be able to stand out in a crowd?  Bright colors and unique designs will keep your mascot from blending into theearthy tones of a crowd, and out-of-the-ordinary renderings will keep it from looking stock.
3. What parts of the costume are washable?  Sweat happens all over.  If you are told "DRY CLEAN ONLY", reconsider!
4. How do I want the character to promote my organization?  Placing fear in the opponent may not win over the young'uns.  Looking and acting goofy may not win over the blue-chip sponsors.  A big bellied animal may not well represent a health organization, and an aggressive faced design might not well represent a church.
5. What is the structure of the costume?  Watch out for metal parts, especially if you plan to do outside events.  Hard-cell foam can be a good structure for the head... as long as it doesn't weigh five or more pounds!  Big heads can put a strain on the neck and back of the performer.  Shoes that are glued into the sole of the character's foot will restrict the size of the performers you use.  Foam-lined arms and legs can get hot!  Look out for big lower jaws - they dramatically restrict the vision of little ones below the line of sight.  Check the size of the overall design.  If you can't the costume bag in the back seat of a sedan, how hard will it be to store, clean, and even perform in properly?  How far down does the head go?  If the head touches the shoulders of the costume you can bet that smaller-sized performers will have a hard time fitting the head safely. 
   
6. Who is designing and making the costume?  If it is a theatrical specialist, and you want your mascot to dunk, reconsider.  If the costume is being sewn up by fashion students or a Home Ec teacher, reconsider.  There are plenty of great designers out there, but a 2-D design may not translate to a 3-D design safely or effectively.  Find out who is responsible for the quality check. 
   
7. Ask for references, warranties, and don't pass up even the "stupid" questions.  You'd be suprised what kinds of questions professional costume makers have had to answer!  (and most of them were truly important to the project!)
   

-Erin

SPRING HAS SPRUNG! April '05

What a great time of the year to be a mascot!  Why?  You might ask... because April is a good time to evaluate the school year, check into some summer events, and enjoy some Baseball!

Take some time to review how your games went this past year.  Write down the good and bad, and how you can improve the program.  Think about spring and summer appearances - parades, little league opening days, end-of-the-year school picnics, fairs, festivals, even Parks and Recreation happenings!  Yes, high school mascots, if you show up at these kind of community events you WILL BE APPRECIATED!

Call your local library and schedule some reading time, look into a hospital visit at the children's wing.  Suprise a nursing home.

Whatever you do, don't sit still!  Spring to it!

-Erin

TRYOUT TIME! March '05

It's that most... wonderful... time of the year!

Yes, tryouts are starting to happen all over. High School, College, Minor League Baseball, even theme parks, are looking for their next best entertainment package.... or a real good hand-shaker.
Aside from the plethora of emails I get at this time "HELP! I need a skit for TOMORROW! It has to be TEN MINUTES LONG!" there are some great resources already on the web for potential mascots:

• MascotNet Skit Page
• MascotNet Tryouts and Camps Page
• Gameops.com Audition Feature
• UCA's Tryout Tips Page

If you're a coach looking for some audition information (scoring sheets, setup, etc.) feel free to contact me. If you're looking for a skit... start above, and don't forget to pick the brains of the people who frequent MascotSpeak Bulletin Board System!
Good luck!

-Erin