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A Little Inspiration

© Sue Ann Kawecki

When athletes get down on themselves, they turn to their teammates for inspiration and motivation. Unless you're sharing the mascot spotlight with another, you're without a similar support system. However, just like other athletes, you will inevitably suffer similar bouts of doubt and losses of self-confidence--especially when the crowd is not responding just the way you thought they would!

So what's a mascot to do? Don't despair--there is a support system out there for you. You just got to look a little deeper! Read on to find out how to keep your spirits soaring...

Practice with the cheerleaders...

You're probably wondering--so what does this do for you and your depression?? Well, beside allowing you the opportunity to perfect your skits with the cheerleaders, it also allows you the chance to get to know your spirit partners better! Undoubtedly they suffer the same problems with the crowd and can empathize with you. Chummiing with the cheerleaders will provide you with more than one shoulder to cry on!

Join a chat room or a cheerlist.

Sometimes we find it better to share the load with one when we can't see them. Or sometimes there is just no one around to understand what you're going through, and the internet is the easiet way to "reach out and touch someone." MascotNet's Mascot Speak at http://www.spaghetti.com/mascot/ provides mascots with a bulletin board where you can post messages to other mascots! Pretty nifty!

Also, since cheerleaders are also usually in the same boat, it might be useful to join a cheerleader chat room or list. The Cheerlist at http://www.cheerlist.net has tons of cheerleaders, coaches and some mascots offering support and advice to each other!

Check out other mascots' websites.

Might seem like a simple solution, but did you think of it? Usually peoples' pages have guest books or contacts.

Attend mascot seminars, camps or competitions.

This is an easy way to build a network of shoulders. Although far and few between, there are mascot camps and competitions. Check out http://uca.com/ and http://www.ncacheer.com for their camps and competitions. Also hook up to http://www.upainc.net for United Perfomance Association's Mascot Challenge.

Lastly check out a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. Think you got it bad? Read stories of people who face and overcome real adversity--like cancer, death,etc. Then you'll realize that someone booing at you just isn't the end of the world!

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