The tremendous amount of hard work that athletes put into their job on a day-to-day has always been well documented, but one of the things that I’ve always wondered about when watching sports is how much effort goes into being a mascot.
So when I recently got to meet the man behind the Golden Hawk mascot suit, I finally got the answers to those questions.Since the identity of this person cannot be revealed, I will refer to him as Midas, which is the official name of the Laurier mascot, although most people know him as “The Hawk.”
“I’ve always been a dancer and I’ve always liked performing for people, and this was a great opportunity to do that and to wear the Laurier jersey and represent the school,” Midas said when asked about why he decided to become the mascot.
The Laurier athletics department were looking for a new face behind the mascot suit so Midas has only been in action for a total of five times so far.
But the interaction with children has made Midas’ transition much easier.
“The easiest part is interacting with kids. The kids love “The Hawk” for the most part and they end up getting pictures and they love running up to me. The hardest part is walking up the stairs [on the stands], but I’m making the best of the situation,” he said.
Although going up and down the stairs in the Hawk suit definitely seems like a difficult task, I’ve always thought that the toughest part about being a mascot is dealing with the heat.
It’s hard enough running around in the summer in a t-shirt and shorts, but being in full sized mascot suit is an entirely different beast.
Luckily for Midas, though, it hasn’t been a huge issue so far.
“It’s almost like preparing for an actual game as if I was one of the players. I like listening to music, warming up, always stretching, staying hydrated and eating a decent meal before. It’s pretty much the same routine you would do if you were an athlete.”
“The hotter it is outside, the hotter you will be inside [the suit]. You’re always hot regardless, but it’s just a matter of how extreme it is. I’ve never been in a situation where it’s been so hot to the point of exhaustion though,” he explained.
If you’ve seen Midas at a game this year, or even if you’re planning to go to a varsity game in the future, he’ll definitely catch your attention at some point with his activity on the sidelines.
However, those activities aren’t just a fun pastime; Midas has to prep before each game, just like the athletes on the field.
“It’s almost like preparing for an actual game as if I was one of the players. I like listening to music, warming up, always stretching, staying hydrated and eating a decent meal before. It’s pretty much the same routine you would do if you were an athlete.”
It’s definitely not easy being “The Hawk” but Midas has made it look easy so far and his energy on the sideline should improve the already impressive home field advantage for all the Laurier sports teams.
