During the spring of 2024, West Chicago Community High School, Activity Director Marc Wolfe and the Board of Education will replace the current, 20-year-old school mascot outfit with a new and updated one.

Two new mascot costumes were purchased due to the fact that the wildcat, Victor E., was getting old and starting to become unbearable to wear after two decades of use.

The new wildcat costume was purchased from Loonie Times, based in Mississauga, Canada. Loonie Times is a well-known mascot manufacturing company that can make a variety of mascot costumes, from animals to mythical creatures.

Director of Business Services Dan Oberg confirmed that the two suits cost just over $11,000 in total. In September 2023, the Board approved all expenses.

“They’re pretty beat up. Not necessarily hygienic. Kind of smelled and the normal life of a mascot suit is about 10 years, we got 20 plus years out of ours. So it was time to get a new one,” Wolfe said.

“The old suits were falling apart. There were a bunch of holes in both suits and the mesh over the mouth was falling off. I had to staple the mesh back to the mouth of the suit so people wouldn’t be able to see my face. The fur of the suits was also really old and crusty. I’m glad it got replaced because it was very much needed,” sophomore MS said (identity kept anonymous to protect the integrity of the wildcat).

A lot has changed in the 20 years of having the wildcat costume, and the new costumes are much more user-friendly.

“The feet have more support. You know, in the past, they’ve walked in the Homecoming parade, and that’s a couple mile walk on worn-out shoes. The [new mascot costume] has a fan inside the mascot head to help keep [wearers] cool. The suits are extremely hot. It also came with a cooling vest that can help keep their body temperature down and reduce overheating, and help keep the suit clean and hygienic as well,” Wolfe said.

Although the Wildcat Chronicle was granted permission to tease a few images of the costume, the new wildcat will remain a mystery until its reveal. But, the new wildcat brings a lot of visual features that will look different from the mascot students are used to.

From the fur to the face, people will notice the changes right away when the wildcat is showcased. It is so different from the original, that it may even be time to rename the mascot. Victor E. is retiring: who will take place?

The students who step into the mascot role may have an opinion on that matter. For many, being chosen by other students to become the mascot is a fun and memorable activity.

“Honestly, being the wildcat was just something I thought would be cool to do, and it’s funny since I’m short,” senior Lixcy Barrera said.

This story was originally published on Wildcat Chronicle on March 14, 2024.