Behind the fur: A look inside the life of a UNH mascot

Sophomore Samantha Freese has a unique pre-game ritual.

She dons the University of New Hampshire blue and white like most students, although she'll forgo makeup and primping in front of a mirror. Instead, she ties her hair tightly in a bun and completely covers her face in layer upon layer of fake fur and wire.

And thus the night of a UNH mascot begins.

The native of Canaan, N.H., is one of 12 students who has dressed as the school's mascots this year. While the number has dipped slightly since the fall semester, Freese said there is a solid group of students who bust their furry humps at ticketed sporting events, something she said isn't an easy task.

"It's hard work," said Freese, who plays Wild E. Cat at women's basketball games and at some football games. "Some people wouldn't think so, but you're putting on a snowsuit and walking around and trying to entertain people, and it is exhausting.

"I feel so pathetic because I'm in shape and I work out. And yet, it's like you're wearing a snowsuit all the time. The gym's already hot, and the head's heavy when you're wearing it."

She said the hardest part, though, comes from the inability to respond to some students' actions, as Freese and others aren't allowed to talk while in the suit.

"I guess embarrassing for me - and I think it's kind of funny, too - is they don't really realize that Wild E.'s a girl inside," she said. "They'll pat my chest to be like, 'Hey Wild E.' Then they'll pull back and go, 'Whoa, Wild E.'s a girl.' And it's so awkward because it's like, 'Yeah, I am a girl and you just felt me up.'"

Despite the difficulties of the volunteer job, Freese said being a mascot is an experience she wouldn't trade for anything. "I love hanging out with the kids at the games," she said. "There's this family that goes to the women's basketball games every Sunday. Every time they see me their faces just light up [with] huge smiles. We'll color and we could just play the whole time, and I love it. It's just nice making people happy." WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MASCOT

The job itself requires a special skill set, according to Amber Radzevich, who oversees the mascots and student interns as part of her role as the assistant athletic director for marketing and communications at UNH. She said it can be hard to find students with the necessary mascot qualities, as well as a willingness to perform the job without being paid.

"I think it takes an interesting personality to be a mascot," said Radzevich, who gives the mascots incentives for their work. "It takes a lot of patience."

Freese agreed. She said mascots need a positive mindset while in the suit since the mascot encourages fan participation and fosters an enjoyable game environment.

"It's your body language that's portraying the character because you're not talking," she said. "You have to use your whole body. If you're having a bad day your body language is going to reflect that."

A required skill for a mascot is the ability to read a crowd, said Radzevich.

"It's very important they understand children, and understand how to work with children because we have a lot of kids who come to our games and sometimes they're afraid of the mascot," said Radzevich. "We try to teach [the students playing the mascots] about understanding what to do if there's a child that's fearful of the mascot when they come over, and all of my mascots are very good at that."

Freese said the hardest part about the role for some people involves letting go of social inhibitions and acting against social norms outside of the costume.

"Once you're in the costume you have to become the character and have fun with it," said Freese. "No one knows who you are, and you can be the biggest idiot you want and just be OK with that. If you're not ready to give your all while you're in the costume and be OK with making a fool of yourself, you won't be able to do it.

"You just have to be ready for that. You just can't sit and wait and think people are going to be excited to see Wild E." April Gabrielle, who plays Wild E. Cat at men's basketball games, football games and gymnastics meets, said being the mascot involves a silly persona, but the job is also a professional one.

"You have to take it seriously because the kids and the parents get a big kick out of Wild E.," said Gabrielle, a junior history major and education minor. "You kind of have to live up to their [idea of a mascot] and be really energized and dancing around and poking fun, rubbing their hair, stealing their food. You can't just be out there moping around. That's not what Wild E. is."

Mascots are mandated fixtures at America East basketball games, and the athletic department requires mascot presence at the five other ticketed sports at UNH. This means if Freese, Gabrielle and the other volunteers are unable to make a game, Radzevich taps one of her student interns to play the role.

"Thank goodness for April and Sam, because if it weren't for those two, it would be challenging some days," she said. "I'd really need to go out and get more people involved."

Radzevich doesn't have to worry about coverage for the hockey games, however, as community members volunteer to play Wild E. Cat and Gnarlz.

There are times when games conflict, according to Radzevich, although ticketed sports are scheduled at different times and on different days. When there is overlap, Radzevich places priority on the basketball games and the other ticketed sports because they must be there.

Weekends loaded with games and events pose other logistical challenges for Radzevich and her staff. Wild E. Cat is laundered every Monday in the equipment room, and Gnarlz receives a hand-washed treatment from Radzevich herself. The suits need significant time to air dry, preventing washes between games on busy weekends.