Mars school district unveils new mascot
ADAMS TWP — Although he saw the Fightin’ Planet for the first time Sunday evening, Aug. 18, Ben Wisser, a first-grade student in Mars Area School District, determined the district’s new mascot was the coolest mascot ever.
The Fightin’ Planet, a spherical red ball fit with boxing gloves, athletic shorts and tennis shoes, ran onto the Mars Athletic Complex football field to the “Theme from Rocky” Sunday at the district’s athletics kickoff event, to a roaring reception from the crowd.
Ben exclaimed that the mascot was “awesome,” and already has some name ideas for the soon-to-be-named character.
“Maybe ‘Rex,’ or, ‘Marty,’” he said.
The Fightin’ Planet is the brainchild of the Mars Cheer Boosters, who spurred interest in creating a mascot for the district, hopefully one that will stick. Courtenay Carrel, president of Mars Cheer Boosters, said she found the district has had mascots in some forms in the past, but none that have stuck around.
The reveal of the Fightin’ Planet was the result of months of planning and fundraising, according to Carrel. She said the Fightin’ Planet will be present at district sporting events and at some community events.
“We wanted to make something that could be long-lasting,” Carrel said. “He will be at games, we’ll bring him to Mars Applefest.”
The cheer boosters group began showing drawings of a potential mascot to members of the district’s school board last year, but its final look was left as a surprise for the kickoff event Sunday.
“We went all in,” Carrel said before the August school board meeting. “If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it right.”
Carrel said the district will host a naming contest, and students can pitch ideas for the nameless unnamed mascot.
In addition to the introduction of the new mascot, the school district also highlighted members of its fall activities, including the football team, the cheerleading squad, the dance team and the marching band.
Students present at the event displayed excitement at the introductions, even though their summer break soon will come to an end for the start of the new school year Thursday. Many of them said they are happy with the choice of mascot.
“I like him,” said Emry Delp, a second-grade student at the district.
Kayla Joseph, a third-grade student at the district, had an inkling that the mascot would be a representation of Mars.
“I thought it would be an alien, but then I thought he might be a fighting planet,” she said. “I kind of thought he might (look) like that.”
The Fightin’ Planet danced around the field throughout the evening, giving out fist bumps to young children and posing for pictures with the student athletes and elementary students.
Carrel said the look of the mascot was something designed specifically for Mars school district, and told the school board that it was an outfit they could not buy at just any store.
“He is true to the name,” Carrel said. “We’re excited about him.”
