Fairmont State University - Mound Yearbook (Fairmont, WV)

Page 15 text:

Sponaugle feels that she is an essential part of the cheerlead- ing program because; she said, It really helps the team out when I ' m pumping up the crowd ' s spirit and I also feel that I help pump up the team ' s spirit. Children are a big part of the Falcon ' s popularity and; she said, The children seem to love me and want to hug me and some try to give me M M ' s and pop- corn. Some want to get their pic- tures taken with me, while others shy away a little. What ' s the worst thing about the job of being Falcon mascot? Having to put on the costume and take it off, she reflected. The feet are really hard to get on and I ' m always the last one on the floor and the last one out of the locker room when we go to away games. She also reported that the temperature inside the costume is often ten degrees hotter than the gymnasium temperature. Although she said she enjoys being the Falcon, she said it is a job that requires a lot of time and hard work. We practice two hours every afternoon, except game days, and sometimes we practice on the weekends. I ' m hoping to carry on the mas- cot job right through my senior year, Sponaugle concluded. Author Pam Ryan was a Times-West Virginian intern. Mascot 11

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The Face behind the Falcon By Pam Ryan The crowd squeals jub ilantly as the cheerleaders run to the middle of the court and begin to call out exultations for Fairmont State ' s basketball team. Suddenly, a quick flash of maroon and white passes before the eyes of the en- thralled spectators and she bounds ener- getically onto the court, her feathers flap- ping in the breeze. Every child gazes at her with innocent wonderment as she flaps around the gym- nasium performing stunts that only a fal- con could get away with and cheering on the team in a way that only a mascot can do. Denise Sponaugle is the coed who climbs into the heavy, extremely hot Fal- con costume and parades through the Feaster Center during every Fairmont State basketball game. A freshman English major with a spe- cialization in the gifted program, she be- came interested in the job of being the Falcon mascot when she was introduced to last year ' s mascot. 10 Opening

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Visions of smiles Smiles . . . laughter . . . more smiles . . . more laughter . . . friend- ship . . . good times . . . Bubba ' s . . . The Cabaret . . . Joe ' s . . . Bunny ' s . . . The Nickle . . . The Pockey Dot . . . football games . . . dances . . . Homecoming . . . plays ... air bands . . . The Dating Game . . . Win, lose or draw . . . Days of Our Lives . . . Pump UP The Volume . . . Frat parties . . . smokers . . . rush . . . Basketball games . . . SPRING BREAK . . . jokes . . . Tammy Faye Bakker . . . Fawn Hall . . . Gary Hart . . . Donna Rice . . . The Church Lady . . . Saturday Night Live . . . The Gary Shandling Show . . . Steve Martin . . . are just a few among the many, many events that provoked humor, sarcasm and smiles into NEW VISIONS of 1988. Missy Cioni and Dee Oldaker show their enthusiasm for Homecoming. 12 Smiles