Piedmont to Introduce New School Mascot by Year’s End

The bagpipers who play at many PHS sports games, will no longer march out alone. Soon they will be joined by a custom-made mascot that resembles the Piedmont griffin and lion featured in the school logo. This mascot, which will take about eight weeks to produce, is expected to debut by the end of the year and will hype up stands at school sports games and events.
“We’re really excited to bring this to life,” PHS Principal David Yoshihara said. “A student originally asked if we had a mascot and expressed interest in being one, which sparked the whole process. We’ve had a lot of support from ASB, parent clubs, athletics, and boosters to make this happen.”
The student who first proposed the idea believes the mascot will enhance school spirit at events.
“I noticed we have good school spirit, but I thought it could be even more fun,” the student said. “I’ve seen other schools with mascots, and I think it really helps bring people together. Since we don’t have a cheer team, having a mascot could play a big role in hyping up the crowd.”
The mascot will be making appearances at rallies, school events, games, and even community gatherings. School administrators intend on keeping the mascot’s identity a secret, as requested by the student who initially proposed it.
“We want to try and keep the mascot anonymous,” Yoshihara said. “That’s something the student feels strongly about. It adds to the fun and mystery, and it lets whoever is in the suit just focus on entertaining and engaging with the crowd.”
Athletic Director Tyler Small said he has seen firsthand the impact a mascot can have on school spirit.
“I was at a school with a mascot before, and I thought it made a big difference at games,” Small said. “It adds another layer to high school sports, and it can even be fun for younger kids in the community to engage with. I think it’d be cool if the mascot made an appearance at the elementary school one day.”
While the student that originally came up with the idea will act as the mascot, the role may open up to other students. Small said it would be beneficial for multiple students to share the mascot role to ensure there would be a mascot at every sports game, even if they overlap.
“If people’s schedules don’t match up, there’s kind of a backup,” Small said.
Yoshihara is exploring different outfits for the mascot to keep its look fresh and engaging, with accessories including jerseys, headbands, and sunglasses.
“We want the mascot to have some variety,” Yoshihara said. “It’ll be great to see how the students react when it finally makes its debut, whether at a senior night or another special event.