Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2023)
s ARTS & CULTURE 7 Oh Cougie, where art thou? CCC’s beloved mascot is elusive, here’s why STORY BY AALIYANA BALDERAS SPORTS EDITOR Have you ever wondered about Clackamas Community College’s mascot? Cougie is the name of our Cougar mascot here , at CCC, but his story seems to be times to help navigate. When you think of a sports game; you - While as Cougie, you cannot take off the probably think of fans, snacks, posters and head or any other piece of the costume in mascots. Mascots are known at sports games public. to keep the crowd engaged, the players - You must hang up Cougie to allow the costume to air out after use. unknown. Mascots are important for school The biggest concern out of all of these spirit and student engagement, so w hy is rules, is the last one: “Do not store in a Cougie not so involved? plastic bag or bin.” Michelle Baker, the student life and When The Clackamas Print began leadership coordinator at CCC, said there researching Cougie, Cougie was found in a is no designated Cougie performer, and cardboard box in the student clubs office. midterms and everyone is stressed out that it would be nice to see him around.” Since the pandemic, CCC has been working on coming back and getting scoring, and bring energy to the venue, but if students more excited and motivated when you’ve attended any recent sporting events, it comes to school. you likely haven’t seen Cougie. Women’s basketball player and track and Cougie could make a huge impact on students around campus who may just need field athlete, Grace Brooks, believes Cougie a little more energy to get through whatever should be at sporting events on campus. they are working on. “I think Cougie would add the next level of support for athletics here at CCC,” Brooks Sports at CCC have less fan support since the pandemic, and Cougie only comes out when requested or said. “It would definitely help hype up the Cougie would bring the energy and when students or staff check out the mascot crowd, especially the little student section keep students engaged with sports. costume from her office. we are starting to build.” 4; Cougie is an important part o f this, The current Cougie costume has been Daisy Saucedo has been a student at around since at least 2019, and has only CCC since 2018. When asked about Cougie, been checked out five times, and there has Saucedo did not know anything about him. never been a designated Cougie person. Saucedo has never seen Cougie in person in Baker also shared the responsibilities Photos of Cougie by Joseph Lohmolder. her five years at CCC. that come from being Cougie. Those duties “Something I like about other schools is include: that their mascot brings energy,” Saucedo - No talking while in character. - A handler must be with Cougie at all school and our community, and he deserves to be w ell known. said, “and I feel like there are weeks, like Cougie’s head left in a box. Photo by Grant Pauli this week, when a lot of people are having >• The Clackamas Print theclackam asprint.com February 2023 . .
