By Ashlyn Beck | Staff Writer
Mystery and secrecy may not be the first words that come to mind when watching Bruiser and Marigold hype up a crowd of green and gold. However, there is a team of people and hours of practice going on behind the scenes to prepare for their appearance.
Cypress sophomore Audrey Mills is a mascot handler and said the Baylor Mascot Team plays “a really big role in Baylor spirit and entertainment and joy.”
“[The mascots] are a big part of Baylor spirit and bringing excitement and liveliness to campus,” Mills said. “They go to quite a bit of sporting events, and they really bring the energy, a lot of entertainment and humor.”
Mills said her role in “mascot sic’urity” has many different responsibilities, such as supervising Bruiser and Marigold, helping people take pictures with them and managing social media. She said the team keeps a lot of the behind-the-scenes work of the Baylor Mascot Program a secret, which makes it exciting.
“If everyone knows how it works, then it’s not as fun,” Mills said.
Mills said the Baylor Mascot Program requires a large time commitment. On days with home football games, members can work for up to eight hours for pregame preparations, the game itself and clean-up — not to mention practices.
“We have three two-hour practices a week, so six hours of practice,” Mills said. “We have two workouts at the local gym that Spirit partners with, and those are two hours. And then appearances — I typically have one or two [a week].”
The mascots encourage engagement between those on the field and those in the stands. Even if the football team is losing, the mascots can interact with the crowd and bring joy, Mills said.
“It’s fun to perform and see students’ and attendees’ reactions and just seeing how they engage with the mascots,” Mills said.
Mills said she was drawn to the Baylor Mascot Program after her first football game and decided to pursue a spot on the team.
“It was something that I’d never thought of before, and it looked like a really cool experience and something that I wanted to be a part of,” Mills said.
Portland, Ore., sophomore Austin Emmett is also a mascot handler and said Bruiser and Marigold not only hype up sporting events but also go to on-campus events to make things more fun.
“I think that sometimes the mascots can help them feel more comfortable,” Emmett said. “It might be awkward for some, but for others, when Bruiser and Marigold are here, they can feel more excited.”
Emmett said Bruiser and Marigold bring unique energy, comfort and joy to Baylor — on and off the field.
“It’s not only an image of our mascot,” Emmett said. “It’s also a way to make even the parents and students excited.”
