What’s black and orange with school pride all over? Northport High School’s very own mascot, Tony the Tiger. 

If you’ve been to some of our school’s events, there’s no doubt you’ve seen Tony handing out high-fives and spreading Northport spirit. But have you ever wondered who’s behind that mask? What student has enough pride to take on the ambitious role of a school mascot? 

After seeing Tony at Homecoming, I had the same question. Yet Tony the Tiger is not an easy feline to find. As it turns out, the identity of Tony is protected feverishly, with only school administration privy to the information. When first questioning one of our Assistant Principal’s of the mascot’s identity, I was answered with an abrupt, “We do not reveal the name of our mascot.” But this answer only provoked more curiosities, and an interview of sorts was established.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to sit down and talk with our mascot (that would compromise the carefully protected identity of the tiger), though I was able to send him/her some questions I’m sure we’ve all wondered.

How long have you served as Northport’s mascot?

I started my position as school mascot in April of 2021. My first event was the Class of 2021 parking lot party, and as soon as I put the suit on I knew I would be doing it for the rest of my high school career. 

What encouraged you to become our mascot? 

I love Northport High School. On a scale of 1-10, my level of school spirit hovers around a 100. I love going to our football games, watching our band perform, even just sitting in the commons makes me excited. So when Mr. Hinson approached me with the opportunity to become Tony the Tiger, I saw it as an opportunity to finally spread my school spirit to everyone!

What are the time commitments of being a mascot?

As Tony the Tiger, my time commitment changes with the seasons. In the summer, my only event was performing at the Freshman orientation. But In the fall, I often perform at our home football games, as well as any pep rally or school wide event. It also varies how much time I have to prepare myself. For some events such as Homecoming, I knew about a week in advance that I’d be performing. But I’ve often had events where I had only a day in advance notice, or even as little as a few hours!

Why all the secrecy behind the identity of the mascot? 

Being a school mascot means my identity must be a secret. The secrecy helps keep the magic of Tony alive. When people see the mascot, they don’t just see some random student or faculty member in a fursuit. They get to suspend their disbelief and see Tony the Tiger, the epitome of Northport spirit. All the fun goes away when you know who’s behind the mask. And besides, the anonymity surrounding the mascot is part of the fun. It’s almost like I’m a superhero in a way. 

How is the mascot chosen? Is it something passed down every four years?

Everyone’s path to becoming Tony is different. For me, Mr. Hinson scouted me for the job. He had apparently asked other members of the faculty to find who would be good for the job, and my name came up a lot. From there, I had my “try out.” Most people don’t realize that being the mascot is often physically draining. Dancing and movement in the suit becomes really hot really quickly, and if you’re not too careful you’ll faint from heat exhaustion. It was important to see if I was going to be strong enough to do it. My first event was the Class of 2021 parking lot party, and after that, I was officially in! As for passing it on every four years, I’m unsure if that’s part of our tradition. I do hope to leave some traditions of my own when I graduate, so… 

If you could say one thing to all your fans, what would it be?

Please don’t pull my tail! (Just kidding.) But seriously, don’t be afraid to have fun with the mascot. The only way my school spirit magic works is if people want it to work, and I promise you’ll have a great time. If anything, being silly with the mascot can be something you’ll laugh about later. On the same note, please don’t go out of your way to make the mascot miserable. I’ve had people scream in my face, try to rip my Tiger head off, even throw garbage at me. You may not know who I am, but I will remember who you are. And you never know just who’s under the suit… 

Well, there you have it! The first interview with our school mascot, revealing some pretty neat inside details of the job (who knew being a mascot was so physically demanding?). And in the future, maybe stick with high-fiving Tony, and stay away from throwing trash.