When the crowd is roaring during Friday night lights, there’s always one special person who’s behind it all, Mr. Patriot. 

Whether he’s taking pictures with beloved fans or joining in with cheer and dance to hype up the crowd, Mr. Patriot isn’t just a symbol; he’s a part of what makes South High so special. Mr. Patriot would like to keep their identity a secret, so he will be going by his initials, A.C.

After a hiatus of many years, an official Mr. Patriot mascot was reintroduced to South High last year. The person behind the Mr. Patriot mascot discussed how they were offered the position. 

“On a Friday night football game, my friends Emma and Ruth came up to me and presented me with the opportunity of a lifetime. I personally felt like it was an honor to be given such a beautiful position,” said A.C.

Assistant Principal Eric  Wilhelm commented on why he thinks A.C. is the perfect person for the job of portraying Mr. Patriot.

“I think A.C. doesn’t take themselves very seriously, and they enjoy having a good time. They won’t let other people sort of laugh at them, but with them,” said Wilhelm.

A.C. said they love having the responsibility of representing South as Mr. Patriot.

“I think I have a lot of energy, and I’m not afraid to be myself and let my true colors show and I really like to have fun, and I think whatever I do I try to get everyone fired up and I don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed to let my energy fly out I think it makes everybody have a good time,” A.C. said. 

As the football season continues, Mr. Patriot has made an appearance at every home game and even traveled to Central to represent South at the football game on Aug. 29. Mr. Patriot also plans on attending boys’ basketball games in the Winter. Mr. Patriot will be there, pumping up the crowd and reminding everyone what it means to wear red, white, and blue. 

Senior Ethan Carroll said he thinks students greatly appreciate having Mr. Patriot at the football games. 

“I think having a mascot helps a lot with increasing the school spirit. I really like all of their emotes,” he said.

The tradition of having a Mr. Patriot mascot dates back to the early 1990s.. Over the years, the mascot has evolved from old costumes with hand-sewn patches to today’s colorful, modern design. Still, the purpose has never changed: to bring people together, according to Derek Wilhelm, a former Parkway South mascot.

“There were usually anywhere from 3-5 of us who dressed up and participated in events. I still have great memories of us getting together before a game to prepare our costumes and paint our faces,” Wilhelm said. 

Wilhelm was the South mascot from 2002-2003. Back then, there wasn’t just one mascot, but actually 3-5 people dressed up. We went on to ask what A.C.’s thoughts were about the importance of having a mascot.

“I would say, similar to any other school, a mascot is a visual representation of school spirit. So I think it is also sort of funny sometimes, so I think if people aren’t taking themselves too seriously, then it’ll be fun,” said A.C.

A.C. said being Mr. Patriot is especially pressure-filled in a town like Saint Louis, where Louie and Fredbird dominate the sports mascot landscape. Also, A.C. said being the mascot isn’t easy. The costume can make it difficult to see, and performing in it during hot games or long events takes stamina and dedication. Still, those who step into the role say it’s worth every minute, and finding a perfect replacement is a challenging job. 

“You know, so many think it’s all sunshine and rainbows. You put the suit on, you dance around in front of the crowd, but no, there’s blood, sweat, training, tears that go into this role, and not just anyone to fill this position, so I will be carefully selecting my descendants,” said A.C.

In the 2000’s the role of the patriot mascot was not only to show school spirit, but also to be a little mischievous. 

“This kind of public, semi-sanctioned mischief allowed the administrators to show a different side of themselves. By laughing along with some of our silliness, they demonstrated their ability to be authority figures without being fully authoritarian,” said Wilhelm. 

As this school year continues, one thing is certain: the spirit of Mr. Patriot will keep inspiring pride, passion, and unity for  Parkway South. 

“This is for you, Parkway South. Prepare, train, and channel your inner Mr. Patriot,” said A.C.