{"id":79441,"date":"2016-04-05T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T10:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/raleighpublicrecord.org\/?p=79441"},"modified":"2016-04-04T22:38:15","modified_gmt":"2016-04-05T02:38:15","slug":"wake-county-schools-top-159-mascots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/news\/2016\/04\/05\/wake-county-schools-top-159-mascots\/","title":{"rendered":"Wake County Schools&#8217; Top 159 Mascots"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tar Heels. Blue Devils. Demon Deacons. Wolfpack.<\/p>\n<p>Even for the uninitiated, these names immediately bring to mind the schools they represent. Part marketing genius, part sports fan fodder, mascots take sight recognition and team pride and turn it up to ten, and in doing so contribute to a relatively recent cultural phenomenon.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_79523\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignright\" style=\"max-width: 336px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-79523 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3-336x252.jpg\" alt=\"NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3\" width=\"336\" height=\"252\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3-336x252.jpg 336w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3-771x578.jpg 771w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3-1170x878.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/NorthCarolinaStateWolfpack3.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">The NC State Wolfpack Logo should be immediately familiar to any Raleigh resident<\/p><\/div>\n<p>From <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sbnation.com\/2015\/8\/21\/9183401\/nc-state-mascots-wedding-mr-mrs-wuf-wake-forest-demon-deacon\">a mascot marriage officiated by the opposite team<\/a> to a fantastical creature who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.philly.com\/philly\/blogs\/entertainment\/television\/The-Phillie-Phanatic-speaks-On-30-Rock.html\">guest-starred on <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.philly.com\/philly\/blogs\/entertainment\/television\/The-Phillie-Phanatic-speaks-On-30-Rock.html\"><em>30 Rock<\/em><\/a>, mascots have come a long, long way from the first usage of the word in a late-1800\u2019s French comedic opera.<\/p>\n<p>Humorous, charismatic and inescapably visible, mascots are the costumed embodiment of school and team spirit. But where do mascots come from, and why are they chosen?<\/p>\n<p>In August 2015, Wake County announced it would be opening 13 new schools over the next five years, bringing the total number in the system to 184. Of the existing facilities, 159 are traditional elementary, middle and high schools.<\/p>\n<p>Each of those schools has its own mascot, and we\u2019ve <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1bZrzmk4sotnsNOsLBZUy2-mnStngiBuSodiB-pW5OtM\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\">compiled a list<\/a> of all Wake County Schools and their mascots. If we got your school mixed up, please let us know!<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1bZrzmk4sotnsNOsLBZUy2-mnStngiBuSodiB-pW5OtM\/edit?usp=sharing\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The Record was told that most mascots are chosen by the school\u2019s principal and approved by the superintendent.<\/p>\n<p>Repeat mascots are common throughout the school system: 14 schools chose a cougar, 7 a bulldog, 7 a panther and so on. The most creative names by far belonged to schools in Apex, whose names \u2014 Lightning, the Bluegills, the Clipper Ships, the Penguins, the Salamanders, the Sailors and the Wallabies were not replicated elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-79522\" src=\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-04-at-9.43.41-PM-771x167.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-04-04 at 9.43.41 PM\" width=\"771\" height=\"167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-04-at-9.43.41-PM-771x167.png 771w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-04-at-9.43.41-PM-336x73.png 336w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-04-at-9.43.41-PM-768x167.png 768w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Screen-Shot-2016-04-04-at-9.43.41-PM.png 936w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>A Rich History<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Outside of the Wake County School System, the process of choosing a mascot, and the history behind it, is more complex than one might imagine.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mascothalloffame.com\/behind\/history\/\">commonly<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fisu.net\/en\/Mascots-3464.html\">cited<\/a> etymology of the term \u201cmascot\u201d comes from the French word \u201cmascotte\u201d, popularized by an eponymous comedic operetta about a girl who brings good luck to a struggling farmer. The term itself is a feminized version of the French-Proven\u00e7al <em>masco<\/em>, slang for witch or sorcerer.<\/p>\n<p>In its original usage, mascots were good-luck charms \u2014 as animator and animal symbolism writer <a href=\"http:\/\/davidwolter.com\/blog\/mascot-history-1\/\">David Wolter explains<\/a>, the operetta\u2019s first song, \u201cLegend of the Mascots\u201d, describes mascots as \u201cGod\u2019s attempts to combat Satan\u2019s minions\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>While the original mascot concept seems to be a far cry from team mascots of today, the root of this French import remains intact: mascots are the visual representation of fan hopes for victory, and by cheering for a team wearing a mascot\u2019s likeness, we, in turn, imbue them with the power the mascot represents.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no accident that many mascots are fierce humans (think Blue Devils or Forty-Niners) or animals (Eagles, Falcons, Bulldogs) that possess qualities meant to intimidate the opposing teams.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_79524\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 728px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-79524\" src=\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/bulldogsSERaleigh.jpg\" alt=\"If they didn't call themselves the Bulldogs, this image wouldn't be in the least bit intimidating\" width=\"728\" height=\"473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/bulldogsSERaleigh.jpg 728w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/bulldogsSERaleigh-336x218.jpg 336w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Southeast Raleigh Bulldogs<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">If they didn&#8217;t call themselves the Bulldogs, this image wouldn&#8217;t be in the least bit intimidating<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Here in Wake County, our mascots run the gamut from Lions to Wildcats, Wolverines to, of course, the Wolfpack, and everything in-between. Mascots are chosen for desired qualities like strength, swiftness and agility \u2014 but what factors were considered in choosing mascots for Wake County teams?<\/p>\n<p>In more than one case, racial integration played a role. According to J. Mike Blake, the News &amp; Observer\u2019s sports commentator, some schools chose to change their mascots to represent the positive changes of integration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany schools changed names and even added new colors after integration to be more unified,\u201d Blake said. \u201cFuquay-Varina (formerly Fuquay Springs) went from Falcons to Bengals and now the tiger is a symbol of the town. Cary [Imps] didn&#8217;t change their name, but they did drop the &#8220;White&#8221; from &#8220;White Imps&#8221; so nobody got the wrong idea.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_79525\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 336px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-79525\" src=\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/apexpatriot-336x267.png\" alt=\"The Apex Friendship Patriot\" width=\"336\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/apexpatriot-336x267.png 336w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/apexpatriot.png 458w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Apex Friendship Patriot<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The actual process of mascot selection for newer schools is an exercise in self-determination \u2014 school officials choose an animal (or, in some cases, a \u201ctype\u201d of person) that instantly identifies their team as brave, strong, and unweilding, and run with it. In the case of one newer Wake school, the mascot was specifically chosen to offset a perceived weakness \u2014 the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsobserver.com\/sports\/high-school\/preps-now-blog\/article10253507.html\">Apex Friendship Patriots<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey wanted something strong since the community thought &#8220;Friendship&#8221; in the title insinuated weakness,\u201d Blake said. Plus, he added, too many schools in Wake County already had birds and other animals as mascots.<\/p>\n<p>In recent years, more attention has been paid to those behind the mascot costumes, as evidenced by the success of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/03\/12\/business\/smallbusiness\/first-phillie-phanatic-grooming-mascots-of-the-future.html?_r=0\">David Raymond<\/a>, the original Phillie Phanatic, Christopher Guest\u2019s forthcoming <a href=\"http:\/\/variety.com\/2015\/digital\/news\/christopher-guest-netflix-movie-mascots-1201567417\/\">Netflix-exclusive film \u201cMascots<\/a>\u201d and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/blogs\/mets\/time-secret-service-threatened-mr-met-excerpt-yes-hot-blog-entry-1.1752193\">the 2014 publication<\/a> of \u201cYes, It\u2019s Hot in Here by ESPN.com writer and former Mr. Met AJ Mass\u2019s\u201d about the history of mascotting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing Mr. Met was a bizarre and unique experience,\u201d Mass said. \u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, there\u2019s a lot of fun to be had, but when you do the job right, people forget there\u2019s an actual person inside the suit and as a result, the performer (once he takes the suit off) gets forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In \u201cYes, It\u2019s Hot in Here\u201d, Mass asserts that mascots are the modern equivalent of \u201cfools\u201d or court jesters whose comedic exploits embolden their teams to victory.<\/p>\n<p>His recounting of the events that followed the success of \u201cLa Mascotte\u201d &#8212; a translated rendition, \u201cThe Mascot\u201d, debuting in England that made its\u2019 way to Boston and then New York \u2014 accounted for its adoption into the American lexicon so thoroughly that Ivy League schools began adopting \u201cmascottes\u201d of their own, with Yale\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/yalealumnimagazine.com\/articles\/3974\/handsome-dan\">\u201cHandsome Dan\u201d<\/a>, a bulldog, as the first live mascot in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.<\/p>\n<p>The key to a successful mascot, according to Mass, lies in the fine line between being entertaining while not taking attention away from the team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe performer must be able to play to the back row of the stadium but also relate with an individual fan one-on-one,\u201d Mass said. \u201cThey need a sense of fun in terms of performing, but professionalism in terms of being prepared both physically and mentally for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-79526\" src=\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/MrMet-336x403.jpg\" alt=\"MrMet\" width=\"336\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/MrMet-336x403.jpg 336w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/MrMet-768x922.jpg 768w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/MrMet-771x925.jpg 771w, https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/MrMet-1170x1404.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px\" \/><\/a>A mascot\u2019s job, Mass emphasized, isn\u2019t easy work \u2014 and when watching any good mascot, it\u2019s not hard to see why. They dance, jump around, perform unwieldy sight gags in costume, all to get a laugh from the audience and, perhaps more importantly, focus fans\u2019 attention on their team to help inspire them toward the coveted win.<\/p>\n<p>In short, the person in the mascot costume has a huge responsibility, and Mass urged caution in mascot-selection.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of organizations sadly don\u2019t realize there\u2019s a need to pay special attention to whom they pick,\u201d Mass said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA mascot is the single most important public relations and marketing tool at a sports organization\u2019s disposal and yet, time and again, teams fail to realize the value and importance of making sure the person inside the suit is capable to handle that responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the new Wake County schools open over the coming years, the process of choosing mascots, those modern-day totems, will be continually underway as all the hopes and dreams of their new administrators become fleshed out \u2014 literally \u2014 in costume. They\u2019ll be lucky, literally and figuratively, to call Wake County, a region with a large and festive sports culture, their home.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With more than 150 schools already in the system, and plans to add 13 new facilities over the next five years, we decided to dig into one crucial but often overlooked issue: what were the names of these assorted schools&#8217; mascots, and who got to decide?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24005,"featured_media":79525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79441"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24005"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79441"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79441\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}