From football games to pep rallies, the Eagle mascot is a central part of Oak Park High School’s spirit. This person is tasked with hyping up the crowd, dancing on the sidelines and keeping the energy alive. The selection for the person under the costume is quite simple; ASB students reach out to students who might be interested. For senior Noah Zweig and junior Devin Wolff, the experience has been nothing short of unforgettable.
“It was a great experience all around, from the energy on the field to the crowd,” Zweig said. “I was thrilled to see the endless support from the students.”
While the job looks effortless from the stands, being the Eagle takes stamina, confidence and the ability to improvise. The heavy itchy suit makes it hard to see, and the heat inside the suit is a challenge, but that doesn’t stop the mascot from giving it their all.
“I really didn’t know what to do, so I was kind of just freestyling it,” Wolff said. “The suit wasn’t perfect as it was hot and itchy, but I still had a blast.”
That spontaneous energy seems to define the mascot experience. Whether it’s dancing with the crowd or cheering on the sidelines, it’s the excitement in the air that makes the effort worthwhile.
“Honestly, it was super fun. My favorite part was seeing the kids having a blast,” Wolff said. “In all honesty, it was hard to get a very good look at the crowd, which made it super easy because I would have been nervous. I’ll definitely remember it. It was super fun and I hope I’ll get to do it again at some point.”
As Oak Park’s football season winds down, don’t miss the energy and school spirit our mascots bring to every game.
Catch them in action this week at our next home game at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at Eagle Stadium.
