Leo the Mountain Lion is the face of McDaniel High School. He inspires students and teachers alike and raises school spirit on game days and at assemblies. But we already know all of this. Most people don’t know what an eventful day looks like for him. Game days are busy, not just for the athletes and spectators, but also for the school’s proud mascot.
“I’ll show up about an hour before the game to change into the costume,” Leo said. “But when I go out depends on the event. On Homecoming, I ran out with the football team and Henry, the spirit commissioner, but if it’s like a volleyball game, I’ll just hang out with Henry [Folkerth] most of the time.”
Every game, Leo gives it his all to hype up the athletes, students, and other people in the crowd by dancing, jumping around, and interacting with spectators.
Sophomore defensive and offensive lineman Toka’one Fakapulia noted that the football team feels energized by the mascot’s support.
“Even if we’re losing, he’s always hyped,” Fakapulia said. “He wants us to try our hardest.”
Leo similarly reported that the crowd and players get extremely excited and hyped during events where he makes an appearance.
“It brings spirit and excitement to people, not just the students, but the parents and families. Kids get really excited and want to hug and take pictures and it brings a lot of energy,” Leo added with pride.
Even though Leo loves what he does, it comes with some hardships. With some games lasting over four hours, his job is far from easy. Leo noted that the most difficult part of games and assemblies is how hot the costume gets.
“Especially after just 15 minutes it gets really hot. Sometimes I’m just out there for over an hour without any breaks,” Leo said.
He also added that spending so much time on his feet eventually drains his energy.
“I can feel myself getting fatigued,” Leo said.
But even though it’s not always easy, it’s Leo’s responsibility to stay animated and cheerful so that the crowd’s spirit doesn’t fade, even during tough games. Being the face of McDaniel might be hot, tiring, and difficult at times, but according to Leo, he wouldn’t trade it for anything because he loves the feeling of inspiring others.
And it isn’t just sports games where Leo raises the spirits of those in the McDaniel community. Sophomore Hailey Sequina reported feeling excited when asked how she feels when Leo is present at assemblies.
“I feel very happy and very supported,” Sequina said.
This excitement that Leo receives is what motivates him to keep showing up.
“I like seeing the joy in people’s faces when they see me. It’s fun being able to exert energy into making people happy,” Leo said, when being asked why he wanted to become the school’s mascot.
Next time you’re at a game or assembly and you see McDaniel’s favorite anthropomorphic mountain lion, feel free to say hi, give him a high five or even a hug, because McDaniel’s bottomless school spirit is what inspires him to keep showing up to school events.
