Photo by Ashley Hocking

by Ashley Hocking

The following is an interview conducted with a staff member who took on the role of Chesty for the Oct. 12 football game.

Q: Why did you want to be the mascot?
A: “I always thought that being a mascot is one of the best ways you can represent your school and show how much you care.”

Q: What is your favorite part of the job?
A: “Seeing the smile of a little kid telling you that you’re funny is my favorite part of being Chesty. Having a little kid who is afraid of the mascot become unafraid and want to give me a hug is an awesome feeling.”

Q: How has your perception of mascots changed now that you’ve become one yourself?
A: “I see how hard the job is. You have to be a complete different person. You can’t be yourself because you don’t want to give yourself away. Doing that, you have to act differently and you have to be extra nice to people. If they call your name, you have to stop what you’re doing, turn around and pose for pictures.”

Q: What misconceptions do you believe your peers have about “Chesty” or being a mascot in general?
A: “They tend to think that it’s a girl, but I assure you that Chesty is a he. Students tend to think that because I’m the mascot, they can do whatever they want to me. Some students roughhouse me, push me around and try to punch me. I’m more or less like a big plush toy. It’s almost as if they know there’s a person in there, but it’s not a person to them.”

Q: What does it mean to you to be a Chesty Lion?
A: “Aside from the sports team, you’re representing the school. You’re showing what it means to be Chesty and what kind of a school Lawrence High is. You’re basically representing the whole student body.