Since its inception, ETHS’ mascot, Willie the Wildkit, has been about more than just the school. It has represented community, friendship and school spirit. This month, the Evanstonian team recognized some of those who have had the honor of representing these values behind the mask of Willie, while conducting a Willie the Wildkit experiment of their own.
Before trying on the mascot costume themselves, the Evanstonian team needed to find out its origin. Willie has represented ETHS since 1946, and was considered to be the “younger sibling” of Willie the Wildcat, Northwestern’s grey and white mascot, who was introduced to the university twenty years prior. Willie’s appearance has changed drastically over the years. In the 90s, the costume was more slender and fierce, with less fur, bulging eyes and disproportionate limbs. This is a stark contrast to the vibrant, cartoonish and friendly orange cat that was introduced in 2014.
While many alumni staff members may remember Willie’s previous look, many did not know that he once had a female counterpart, Willamina Wildkit, who first appeared in the 1998 yearbook. The costume consisted of the same furry orange suit as Willie, but outfitted with a cheerleading uniform. Willamina’s short stint as a co-mascot is shrouded in mystery, with many wondering why she was fazed out or where the idea for her came from – a secret the Evanstonian team is eager to uncover another time.
Walking the halls of ETHS, students may not know that they are passing Willies past and present. This is a testament to the top-notch anonymity among the Willies. Each year, multiple people are chosen to become Willie, but they are not allowed to know the identities of their fellow mascots, nor let their furry extracurricular activity slip to their classmates.
To get a first-hand perspective, the Evanstonian team conducted interviews with two prior Willies from two very different time periods, investigating the people behind the mask, and what it takes to become Willie.
Upon hearing a call for new Willies over the morning announcements, Willie from 1987 to 1988 decided to try out. This Willie, now an ETHS staff member, said they tried out for Willie because “[they were] kind of shy in high school and thought it was a way to be extroverted without people knowing who [they were].” In 1987, Willie tryouts were run quite differently than today, with students expected to jump around with paper bags over their heads to prove their mascot stamina. Another major difference, the former Willie added, was that confidentiality did not exist among the Willies. “We knew each other, and we were very competitive with each other,” they said, “I was a really good Willie, so I was getting Varsity games, and the other Willies were not happy about it.”
For this Willie, the typical gameday experience involved changing into the enormous costume in secret. “I have a vague memory of maybe changing in a closet once,” Willie of 1987 said, “one time, I changed behind the bleachers.” Once the costume was on, the former Willie said they wore a towel on their front and back to absorb the sweat that was inevitable in 80 degree August weather.
“It was so hot, you would just sweat so much, and it was so smelly,” they mused. While much has changed regarding Willie’s appearance and role over the years, sweatiness and heat seem to be a recurring theme for Willies of all eras. This aspect of the costume was only one negative, though, against the many positives that went into being Willie. Willie of 1987 enjoyed showing a more eccentric side of their personality as Willie, flirting with football and basketball players and rallying the student section, things only the protection of the mask could give them the confidence to do.
This Willie had a closing word of advice for future Willies: “Keep the confidentiality, and just have fun with it, because you might not have opportunities to do things like this again.”
“They posted tryouts on Tuesday Tidbits,” the 2024 football season Willie remembers. “At tryouts we had to show Willie’s emotions, what Willie would do if he was happy or sad, if the team scored, if the team didn’t score.” This Willie echoes 1987 Willie’s comments about the costume, saying that a typical game day tested their social skills as well as endurance in the heat.
“Games were usually on Fridays, but over the weekend people would post pictures with Willie and then sometimes talk about it on Mondays. That made me feel cool,” this Willie said. They seemed to enjoy the attention that being the mascot granted, despite some students getting a little too comfortable. “People would try to hug me and be all over me which was annoying. They’d also get aggressive sometimes.”
A game day in the life of 2024 Willie consisted of “going to the fourth quarter of the JV game and saying ‘hi’ to some of the kids that were sitting there,” they recounted. “Then I’d take a break until the varsity game, which was 30 minutes later. I’d go into the stands and entrances to say ‘hi’ to people. After that I’d just wait until the game was over.” This Willie also represented ETHS at the ‘Kits, ‘Cats & Kids Block Party that takes place in early September.
To put Willie’s star power to the test, the Evanstonian team dressed up one of its members as Willie and made a surprise appearance at numerous locations around the building, including the Dean’s Office and the Academic Study Center.
The faces of faculty and students lit up when they saw Willie in the hallways, surprised to see him inside the building. Greeting everyone with fist bumps and smiles, this Evanstonian writer’s Willie was elated to bring joy to those around the school, while also ensuring that those wandering the halls had legitimate passes. The Evanstonian team learned many things that day: one being that this writer was perfect for the role, a little too perfect, and also that the former Willies were not lying about the costume’s smell.
As the school year comes to a close, ETHS needs new Willies for the next football season. Tryouts will take place in the beginning of the next school year, so keep an eye out for an opportunity to represent ETHS, following in the large, furry footsteps of 80 years of spirited students.
