The Lancer mascot was just a pipe dream for recent graduate Logan Heley and the pep club before the fall of 2010. Last year, at the first pep assembly of the year, the mascot made his debut appearance. The mascot was the first of its kind that East has ever had.The idea for the mascot came to Heley his sophomore year, but not much was done until junior year when he was the junior class president. The mascot cost $4,999 and is made of a polyester material. The mascot was funded by the All Sports Booster club, the same one Shawnee Mission South used for their mascot, in 2009. According to Heley the getting funding for the mascot did not take long, but the design was a lengthy process. The mascot’s main purpose it to pump up the crowd along with the cheerleaders.

“The purpose of the mascot is to add another dynamic than the cheerleaders,” Heley said, “and to do skits to get people excited to pummel the other team.”

Since his first showing there have been several people behind the mask. To earn that secretive position it doesn’t take much according to one of the participants. Going to the pep club and signing up is all that has to be done. Simply being five foot eight inches but not taller than six foot is all the criteria one needs.

“Just show up and meet the height requirements, and [pep club] will tell you what to do,” said junior Sarah Williams*, an anonymous mascot participant.

The mascot travels around the student section of mainly football, basketball games and pep assemblies interacting with students. According to Williams the best part of being the mascot is getting to “mess” with people when they don’t know who is behind the mask.

“You’re not allowed to talk,” said Williams, “so using hand motions is my favorite way to interact with people.”

Just this year the mascot has pumped up the spirit at East and is expected to for years to come. According to Williams, “If you’re going to you have to just go all out.”

*names changed to protect identity