KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
October 1, 2020
By Natalie Cook Clark
The full spirit of Katy sports is back, and mascots play a big part in building game energy for fans and athletes. On and off the field, the talented Katy high school student mascots help lead the crowds and bring traditions to life.
Emma Donaldson entertains fans as CoCo, the CRHS Cougar. Photo credit: Katy ISD
Meet the students behind the masks of some of Katy’s most energetic and well-loved mascots.
Cinco Ranch High School
Mascot: CoCo the Cougar - Cougars are a symbol of leadership, strength, and intuition that embodies the values taught at Cinco Ranch High School (CRHS).
Emma Donaldson as CoCo at a CRHS game. Photo credit: Katy ISD
Meet Emma Donaldson
Emma is in the 11th grade at CRHS and loves to hang out with her friends and play tennis.
“Some of my goals for my future are graduating high school with a 4.0 GPA and majoring in biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa,” says Donaldson.
Q: What inspired you to be the school mascot?
A: I was inspired to be the mascot by how I view school spirit overall. I really think school spirit makes a learning environment much more enjoyable so by getting to be the mascot I get to have a role in making the students feel spirited. I also love interacting with kids and getting to see them all excited to meet the mascot brings me so much happiness.
Q: What are some of your favorite mascot skits you have done or plan to do?
A: My favorite mascot skit was a magic show where I kept failing at doing some magic tricks and became discouraged. But after reassuring myself of what I was capable of, I finally pulled out some successful tricks.
Q: What ideas do you have to keep the spirit alive this year despite COVID-19 changes?
A: CoCo the Cougar will still be cheering on our football players from the sidelines and pepping up the crowd in the stands - especially the littles. While interactions will look different due to the current situation, CoCo will continue to be the symbol of strength and pride that Cinco Spirit is all about.
Katy High School
Mascot: The Tiger - Tigers are strong, prideful, and hardworking like the students of Katy High School (KHS).
Berkley Colopy is the Katy Tiger student mascot.
Meet Berkley Colopy
Berkley Colopy is an 11th grader at KHS and likes to read and paint. She hopes to attend Oklahoma University and study psychology.
“The painting comes in handy for our run-through signs,” says Colopy.
Q: What inspired you to be the school mascot?
A: Ever since my sisters were a part of school cheer, I also wanted to be involved in an organization that brought school spirit to the community. Last year I worked with Katy Bengal Brigade & Cheerleaders and now I get to be the Tiger, quite an honor!
Q: What are some of your favorite mascot skits you have done or plan to do?
A: Since this is my first year to wear the Tiger suit, I am looking forward to some great ideas for skits. When I was in junior high my favorite skit was my pink out pep rally because the skit exemplified the strength breast cancer fighters and survivors have. I plan to expand on that fight this year and I have a great team to help me out.
Q: What ideas do you have to keep the spirit alive this year despite COVID-19 changes?
A: The Tiger may have a few challenges this year, but I plan on participating in every upcoming event to show the community that even through hard times, we can still come together to make a difference, WE ARE KATY!
Seven Lakes High School
Mascot: Spartacus the Spartan - Fun Fact: The real, historical Spartacus was actually a Thracian gladiator, not a Spartan.
Madison Hill is the student mascot at Seven Lakes High School.
Meet Madison Hill
Madison Hill is a junior at Seven Lakes High School and hopes to follow a business field for her undergraduate studies.
“I’m planning on pursuing the pharmacy technician program at Miller Career and Technical Center next year so that I have a higher paying job in college that can help me pay for school,” says Hill.
Q: What inspired you to be the school mascot?
A: I was inspired to be the mascot at the end of my freshman year. I had received an email from the school with general updates and on it, there was a section about trying out for cheer or the mascot. I wasn’t convinced I would do it at all and was joking with a friend about being mascot for the next year. He told me that he couldn’t imagine a person like me as a mascot. In that moment, I realized that at school I can come off very tense and that I both needed to loosen up and convince him he was wrong. I went to the meeting for tryouts and a few months later I was in the suit as varsity mascot for the first time.
Q: What are some of your favorite mascot skits you have done or plan to do?
A: I did a really fun skit designed for a general pep rally where there was a “spartan guidebook” that Spartacus learned the traits of a spartan from. It was set up to give freshmen a preview of what was expected of them in their values, starting at Seven Lakes. I have some plans for future basketball seasons and pep rallies where Spartacus could train like the basketball team as a way to get the school excited for the upcoming season.
Q: What ideas do you have to keep the spirit alive this year despite COVID-19 changes?
A: I have a lot of ideas to keep school spirit alive this year. I think that with social media we can still create the hype and anticipation around games. We can create countdowns to big games and keep everyone super in the loop about any news of wins. Additionally, I think with social distancing and people doing online schooling, we have the opportunity to shift some of the focus to some sports and activities that get less recognition. The more involved and related the student body feels the more alive spirit is.
Taylor High School
Mascot: The Mustang - The original mustang was a statue named Major that now lives in the Performing Arts Center.
Cybil Och is Taylor High School's student mascot.
Meet Cybil Och
Cybil Och is a senior at Taylor High School and loves soccer, Dungeons and Dragons, and photography.
“I would like to attend University of Texas Dallas to study engineering,” says Och.
Q: What inspired you to be the school mascot?
A: I really enjoyed watching the mascots in junior high and wanted to inspire joy and school spirit like they did.
Q: What are some of your favorite mascot skits you have done or plan to do?
A: One of the best skits I did was for a rock ‘n’ roll-themed pep rally where we introduced Sally and Jet as brother and sister. The skit was a lot of fun because we got to dance to rock and roll music and rip a sign in half with a foam sword.
Q: What ideas do you have to keep the spirit alive this year despite COVID-19 changes?
A: I probably won’t get to interact as much with people this year, but I will continue to spread school spirit through fun skits and socially distanced interactions.
Other Katy ISD schools have mascots but not student mascots.
Jordan High School - The Warriors
Mayde Creek High School - The Rams
Morton Ranch High School - The Mavericks
Paetow High School - The Panthers
Tompkins High School - The Falcons