HOLLAND, Ohio — A mascot can add so much to the sports experience. When you’re at a game, they can pump up a crowd or bring new life to an event.
But for Jackson Priestap, it helped bring him off the sidelines and in to the game.
Sometimes we can’t measure success with wins on a field or a court. Sometimes, a win can be measured by how much we give to others.
“I’ve always thought Springfield was just about the community,” said Springfield cheerleading coach Megan Cantu. “What can we do to get as many people involved as we can? Including people who don’t necessarily call our school their home, but want to support us. Any time anyone in our community reaches out to us, it just really shows Springfield strong and how we get in there and pitch in and everyone’s part of the family.”
Jackson Priestap was home-schooled, but that’s never changed the passion he has for Springfield athletics. Being a mascot has always been atop the list of dreams for him. He fell in love with the idea as a kid and knew this was exactly where he was supposed to be.
“I always loved Muddy the Mud Hen and Spike the Walleye,” said Priestap. “I wanted to see what other professional teams had. I went through all the different professional leagues and saw what their mascots were. I just fell in love with the concept and I wanted to be part of it at some point in my life. When I had the opportunity to do this, it was like, 'Why even ask me? Of course, I’ll do it.'”
The connection started with a simple email. Jackson’s dad asked if there was an opening and thankfully, there was. That was four years ago, and he’s never looked back. The skills he’s learned behind the mask have started to translate to his daily life.
“When I was in eighth grade, it was really hard to talk to people outside of my friend group,” said Priestap. “While it’s not super easy still, it’s definitely easier than it used to be.”
“I think it’s helped a lot to give him some confidence,” said Jackson’s dad Mark Priestap. “It’s given him something to be excited about every year, something he really loves to do.”
Jackson’s time as the Blue Devil mascot has come to an end, but on senior day during football season, he got his moment of glory. He was able to take the mask off for the first time in four years to reveal himself to the crowd. It’s a moment he won’t soon forget.
“Bittersweet,” said Priestap. “I had a great time during senior day this past year, even though I knew it was my last football game. All the support everyone has given me, especially during senior day, it’s sad that it’s coming to an end but it’s happy because people are now looking at you highly in that regard.”
Jackson’s life has been changed by his experiences as the Blue Devil mascot over the last four years, but he’s also helped a lot of people at Springfield along the way as well.