What’s big and furry on the outside, has a fan in its head, a peephole in its face and smells like a ripe Maricopa dairy farm on the inside?
That would be the costumes of Rammy the Ram and Gary the Golden Hawk after a pepped-up performance. Rammy and Gary are the beloved mascots for Maricopa and Desert Sunrise High Schools.
While the two schools have very different histories, their ferocious fauna are equally loved, according to a December InMaricopa.com poll of more than 200 high school sports fans in the city that ended in a perfect tie — regardless of MHS having a history dating back to 1912 while DSHS is in its third year.
We interviewed both mascots, reluctantly agreeing not to blow their cover, even as we gazed into the human eyes of student volunteers behind the giant animal heads. We were told it’s a tradition at both schools, after all, and we’d better respect it. And research shows that’s the case at most learning institutions with mascots.
Allie Krigbaum, an Arizona State University alum whose son plays one of the Sun Devils’ “Sparky” mascots, learned Maricopans don’t take it lightly when you mess with tradition, even if it’s an overt April Fool’s Day prank.
The Desert Sunrise counselor last April 1 put out a facetious press release stating another high school in Arizona already had a Gary the Golden Hawk of their own and that DSHS was being forced to change the name.
“Please welcome Gerald the Golden Hawk to our Hawk Family!” Krigbaum said in her statement.
As you can imagine, that went over like a lead Hawk, even if it was in the spirit of April foolery.
Fursona non grata
Agreeing to interview the mascots under the cloak of secrecy gave us great insight into what it’s like for a student volunteer willing to climb into a costume hotter than a Maricopa afternoon in mid-August.
What we learned: It’s not easy being a high school mascot.
“That first day I did it, I ran a lap around the track for a touchdown,” said Rammy’s vol, a high school senior who dreams of Seattle after graduation. “It was a pretty huge game. I also went and fought [the opponent’s] mascot at the other end of the track. There was a bit of mascot sense going on there. We both knew that it would be a fun little thing to do. And when I ran by the visitors stand, I did a little dance.”
Rammy’s animator, who runs a Maricopa Rams-themed Instagram page, said during the fight with the Ironwood Ridge High Nighthawk mascot, they actually exchanged spoken words — a cardinal sin in the mascot world — plotting and directing their moves in real time.
What Rammy the youthful human described is just what is expected of the mascot behind the scenes: Move around like a chimpanzee on meth and never stop until it’s over. It’s about keeping the crowd screaming, frenzied and more crazed than Jack Nicholson’s character in The Shining.
The 12th-grade student who plays Gary said it all when asked what she loved most about the gig, which requires body language without the ability to talk and the energy of Arizona’s nuclear generation station.
“I perform all around Desert Sunrise, whether it’s a pep rally or sports game,” she said. “My favorite place to perform is at football games because the crowd is always hyped for Gary.”
Being Gary or Rammy requires superior physical conditioning.
“The costume is very hot and after I am done being in it, I sweat like I just ran a marathon,” the 17-year-old girl who plays Gary said. “I don’t get claustrophobic but sometimes it’s hard to breathe.”
Asked what it takes to be a mascot, Rammy said: “Definitely, you got to be comfortable with being uncomfortable because that suit is about the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever been in.”
Rammy’s favorite event to perform at was a pep rally in which his routine was choreographed ahead of time, he said.
“We had an imposter Rammy … You come out with a sword and fight the other Rammy,” said the real Rammy, who, naturally, won the duel.
He has also posed as the high school’s female mascot counterpart, Ramette, wearing pink bows in her horns, just to throw off student detectives hot on his true identity.
He said he loves taking on the Rammy role and hopes to continue as the Grand Canyon University Antelopes “Thunder” mascot upon Ram graduation.
Rammy said he might reveal his true identity when he graduates.
“I think if we find a fun way to do it, I would do it,” he said.
Gary said she’s totally into her role when performing, which often entails dramatic wing flapping in the big brown bird suit.
“I love being able to bring something special to the school,” she said. “Even though my identity is secret, I am a part of something bigger than myself.”
Asked about the most difficult part of being Gary, she said it’s “giving energy and entering a new persona when you are feeling low and like you have nothing to give. It’s hard to push through, but when I’m in costume I have to become someone else.”
Inside Pete’s head
It’s not hard to feel overheated and claustrophobic inside a heavy costume with a 10-pound head, especially when it’s north of 100 degrees outside.
Natalie Hanania of Senita has no problem with the tight quarters, but she agrees the heat can be killer. Hanania is one of the faces hidden inside the head of Vaquero Pete, Central Arizona College’s mascot.
“I jump around and dance in the costume,” Hanania said excitedly. “I even do the splits with the costume on. I can’t do a flip because the head will fall off.”
Because a Vaquero is a Mexican cowboy, the 20-year-old’s moves require a lot of cowboy lassos and riding imaginary horses. One needs to know how to pony — and rope.
She said she must overemphasize her physical movements inside the costume to accentuate the 7-foot character’s bodily motions in a way that’s visible to her audience.
Hanania was recruited by a former CAC activities director. She had to be at least 5 feet tall to fit in the Vaquero suit. She’s 5-foot-2.
A former mascot trained her to play Pete, said Hanania, herself a former Rammy the Ram.
“Vaquero, which means cowboy in Spanish, has been our mascot for decades,” said CAC spokesperson Angela Askey.
In 1970, Coolidge resident and technical drafting student Ray Lara was the winner in a contest to select an athletic nickname and mascot. It was the dawn of the Central Arizona College Vaqueros.
The process to determine the latest look for CAC’s mascot began in 2016. Students and employees participated in a survey, voting on the face, custom-made chaps and vest for the larger-than-life caricature who represents the Vaqueros. Appearances began in the fall of 2018.
“The college wanted a mascot that reflected the local culture and heritage,” Askey said. “The Vaquero embodies strength, resilience and a strong connection to the community, which are qualities Central Arizona College strives to promote.”
The Vaquero makes appearances by request at campus events such as orientation, graduation, recruitment events and more.
There’s no doubt Hanania loves taking on the role.
What does it take to be a mascot?
“I think genuinely wanting to give your energy to other people is the goal,” said Hanania, who is amid a transfer from CAC to ASU, where she’s majoring in journalism. “You have to have enough energy that is transferred over to people. It takes a lot of social ability. You have to be able to communicate nonverbally. You have to talk with your hands because you’re not allowed to speak.”
Being a mascot requires creativity and the ability to stay in character, added Askey.
“It takes stamina because the costume is heavy and hot, and you have to keep performing no matter what,” she said.
Vaquero Pete can give signals to communicate with other support staff without breaking character, Askey said.
So, it’s not as easy as it looks; taking a few 30-second breaks here and there or sneaking off where no one can see you to take a swig of water by lifting Pete’s head a smidge.
Hanania said she dresses up for her gigs in the staff restroom at the college to keep it on the QT.
“The costume can definitely get sweaty, especially during outdoor events in Arizona’s heat,” Askey said. “We do our best to keep it clean, but it’s a challenge. If someone has concerns about small spaces, they probably wouldn’t be a good fit for the role since the headpiece can feel tight and warm.”
There is a small fan in the head that allows for some air circulation. Costume items, including the head, are sterilized between each use to eliminate odors and germs, Askey noted.
Secrecy is part of the tradition
Vaquero Pete might as well be in the witness protection program at CAC, as is the case at Maricopa’s two high schools. You’re not allowed to reveal yourself to other students. A few people might know who you are but must unofficially agree to a vow of silence.
Secrecy aside, Hanania has endured some challenges as Pete. She said the worst event she ever endured was the Casa Grande Electric Light Parade, which lasted four hours and involved miles of walking. It’s a parade, after all.
“Surprisingly, the hottest I got was during that Christmastime parade,” she said.
So, why does she take on the character of a tall, mustached, rough-and-ready cowboy? (She is, in actuality, the opposite of all those things).
“I love seeing peoples’ reactions through the very visible eyes that I look through,” she said. “I like making people’s day. I like communicating with people without them knowing who it is.”
Then, she left us with one final secret of her own: “My sister took a photo with me when I was in the costume, and she didn’t know it was me.
“I never told her.”
A hawk’s tale
Allie Krigbaum, a Desert Sunrise High School counselor, tells us more about Gary’s backstory. The Golden Hawk costume was a donation from a local church, she said, “as we really wanted a mascot. The kids really wanted one.” The Golden Hawk hatched from focus group conversations that were held before the school opened in 2021.
“They wanted something that represented the desert and also not just a Hawk as there are other high schools with a Hawk,” Krigbaum said. “We wanted to be unique and there is no Golden Hawk mascot in Arizona.” The students voted on Gary’s name. The top three choices were Cooper, Goldie and Gary, the winning choice by no small margin — 82% of the students voted for this name.
