New Miner mascot outfit helps rebuild school spirit

Linton-Stockton School Corporation's new Miner mascot worn by Micaela Hazelwood.
(By Shad Cox)

Linton-Stockton School Corporation's new Miner mascot has restored a sense of pride in the school.

The woman under the mask this year, Micaela Hazelwood, said the boy's sectional semi-final game was the perfect reveal for the new buffed up outfit.

"At the pep session (last Friday) I wore the old one, and the new uniform came in that day at school. Then Friday night, I wore the new mascot uniform," Hazelwood said.

Hazelwood said the crowd was already excited for the sectional game, and the unveiling of the mascot made the crowd go wild.

"I had so many people say you actually look like a Miner, and not like a monkey," Hazelwood added with a laugh, noting the old mascot was slightly deformed after almost two decades of use.

She added, "The high school kids loved it. One kid said it looked like I could actually intimidate the other mascots."

Hazelwood said the biggest difference between the old and new mascot uniforms is the new one is a full body suit, and features muscular arms.

"You can't tell it's a girl inside anymore," Pep Club member Hannah Kocher noted.

Pep Club member Natalie Swihart said until the sectional game, the student pep session had been almost nonexistent.

Pep Club member Brianne Karazsia added the reveal of the new mascot and realizing the school stood a chance at the sectional win really brought out the best in the student section.

"The tone kind of changed when we won the Greene County Invitational, and people realized, 'Oh, they have a chance to win'," Karazsia explained.

Cheerleader Kylie Kramer said the fans seemed to get even more into the spirit of the game with the new mascot and intensity of the Sectional win.

Kocher added the mascot is the life of the cheerleaders, and having an updated mascot has made it possible to encourage the enthusiasm even more.

The new mascot costumes has also helped raise the enthusiasm of the basketball players.

"I think it helps the basketball boys too, to have someone at the games to get the crowd pumped up," Swihart added.

The students said the new mascot would not have been possible without a grant from Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC, and the persistence of high school principal Nathan Moore.

"They've been talking about getting a new fox mascot costumes since I was a freshman," Hazelwood said.

The funds were not available at the time, but the REMC grant gave them the opportunity to replace the costume that was falling apart.

Hazelwood said Moore began searching for the perfect mascot, and once he found one he thought was suitable he took the idea around the school.

"Mr. Moore took the picture through the hallways and asked everyone what they thought. He made sure everyone liked it," Hazelwood said.

Swihart added, "Mr. Moore is probably the most pumped up. This has been a good year because the school has never had this much school spirit."

Moore noted the costume had cost more than originally anticipated, so if anyone is willing to make a donation to replenish the funds used outside of the grant can send a donation to Linton-Stockton High School.