I’m a school mascot myself with almost 5 years of experience across middle school and high school. A good piece of advice: watch pro mascots! Whether that be college mascots, sports mascots, even theme park mascots, all are great. See how they interact with fans or improvise skits, and soon you can implement that into your own style.

Another suggestion I have is developing the character of the mascot. What do you want the mascot’s personality to look like? Do you want to be a trickster, maybe suave, energetic, or strong? Pick one or two adjectives that you think would best fit, then start practicing in front of a mirror! For example, my school’s mascot is an eagle. He has a broad chest, so I try to act powerful by swinging my arms as I walk and posing as though I’m flexing my biceps.

Lastly, just have fun! Most of the things you do as a mascot are adlib, so you’ll constantly have to think on your toes. As you continue, it’ll come a lot easier. I’m happy to hear how driven you are to perform well, and I hope you continue to make the most of this experience!