By Kevin Carroll and Regin
a Volpe - ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER
Kate and Willie, Hofstra’s lion and lioness mascot duo, have been representing the Pride for over 20 years now. They seem to be everywhere, never missing a basketball game, always showing up at Hofstra’s numerous charity fundraisers and open houses. The sight of the two lions high-fiving and greeting students has become a welcomed part of the Hofstra culture.
“It’s really cool to see how much people love them and take pictures with them and embrace them,” said Shaun Fean, the associate director of recreational and intramural sports here at Hofstra. “I think that’s the point of having a mascot, to be a positive reflection on the school.”
However, Kate and Willie weren’t the first mascots to represent the Pride. Hofstra has been represented by a number of mascots throughout the years. Before Kate and Willie could be seen strolling around campus, the Pride (or Dutchmen, as Hofstra was known as at the time) was represented by a duck.
Long Island, in the past, had been home to a number of duck farms and the university chose to reflect this trend with a duck mascot. The duck costume went through multiple upgrades through the years, but it never seemed to catch on with the Hofstra crowd, who even went so far as to steal the duck’s head and set it aflame.
After a while, more mascots were brought in to assist the duck on the sidelines. They brought in a woman from the student support office, aptly named Kate, and dressed her up in a traditional Dutch outfit. The university also added a lion mascot to the mix, giving the school three very unique mascots.
In the ‘80s, they dropped the duck and the Dutch girl to focus solely on the lion, and soon after, added a second, female lion. “In 1988, when the lion was incorporated into our seal as a female and male lion, we now had mascots that matched our seal,” said Geri Solomon, the associate dean of special collections and a university archivist for Hofstra.
The two lions were then named Kate and Willie in honor of the founders of the university, Kate and William Hofstra. “Kate, as a dainty Dutch girl, got transferred into a strong, woman lion and I liked that idea,” said Solomon.
Fast-forward to the present-day, and Kate and Willie are still roaming the sidelines here at Hofstra, one of the only universities in the country to use a pair of mascots.
So what does it take to be a mascot? It may be harder than it looks. “We want people who are just bubbling with energy,” said Fean. “We want people who really show a passion for Hofstra, care about Hofstra and want other people to see it the way that they do.”
There’s a two-step process for anyone looking to don the mascot costumes. First, an application must be sent to the Spirit Support office. This past year featured a large pool of potential candidates.
“We actually had to turn people away this year … this was the year that we had the most mascot applicants,” said Fean.
After submitting an application, potential mascots will sit down for an interview with Fean and his assistant, Patrick Slattery. Then, after applicants are selected to move on, the real work begins. Mascot training sessions are held for the new mascots, in order for them to learn the many dos and don’ts of being a mascot, of which there is an extensive list. Once all of the training is completed, the new recruits will finally be ready to become Kate or Willie.
Kate and Willie aren’t confined to just sporting events either. They could be seen all over town, representing the school at various charitable events and fundraisers. The Spirit Support office takes a lot of pride in the work that the mascots do both on and off the campus. “We always want them to be the best possible representative of Hofstra and that’s why we try to get ourselves involved in a lot of community service-type events,” said Fean.
Of course, none of what Kate and Willie do would be possible without the people inside the suits, the unsung heroes that dress up day after day to go out and represent Hofstra in the best possible way. It may be hard work, but, according to the mascots themselves, it’s work worth doing.
“I love being able to go out and just have fun with it,” said one mascot, who chose to remain anonymous, in order to preserve the integrity and mystery of Kate and Willie.
Keeping that mystery intact is one of the most important things involved in being a mascot. Potential candidates are instructed not to tell anyone that they’re one of the mascots. “We don’t want people pressuring our mascots into trying to get the costume to come to a party or something like that,” said Fean. “We need to really preserve the integrity of our mascots.”
With basketball season right around the corner, including the Midnight Madness event this Thursday evening, Kate and Willie will have a very busy schedule over the next few months. With a decline in school spirit plaguing the Hofstra community, they’re going to have their work cut out for them pumping some enthusiasm into the student body.
Applications are still available at Hofstra’s website for those out there who think they might have what it takes to don the mascot costumes. Each mascot is paid $25 per game or event, and for the mascots, the experience is priceless. “It’s a lot of fun to be able to interact with each other and play up the role,” said the anonymous mascot. “It takes time to get used to it but, in the end, it’s 100 percent worth it.”