For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Jace Jasperson. 

You have probably seen me before, but not as I look now. You have probably seen me as Sparty! That’s right, I have been your sentinel Sparty for 4 years! It all started in 2018 at the Homecoming game where I sat in the senior student section (I didn’t know the rules of bleachers then) and I was the loudest and proudest in that section. At halftime I was asked by a senior : “Would you like to be Sparty?” and my heart and stomach dropped. “Me? Nah man, I could never do that!”. 

Then I gave it some thought. 

That real feeling of being a mascot. The freedom of having fun while also getting a front row seat to the games was unimaginable. The energy from the crowd screaming and yelling, the anticipation rising… 

I would make my way to the locker room, open my locker…and all eyes were on me. The football players all eyeing me and my big purple “Party Bag” . I would get all suited up and it was like I was one of them. 

I remember lining up outside of the locker room holding the football flag. The crowd looked small with the little vision that I had, the music screaming from the band. The lights on us as the clock counted down to 

3….

2…..

1…

GO TIME. 

I would receive the go ahead from Coach Oliver to sprint forward as fast as I could, holding that massive flag up in the air. I would tear through the banner the Cheer team made, slam the flag down center field…and that was it. 

The team behind me, the crowd yelling at the top of their lungs and the cowbells ringing through the night…

Almost every time I was Sparty, it was the same energy, the same aura of happiness as well as adrenaline rushing through my body. Given the excitement there are also the downs that come with mascoting as well. From trampling awed little kids to the misplacement of your feet and falling in front of EVERYBODY! There are definitely some negative aspects of that (especially the costume malfunctions).

During one of my mascoting events I tried to put on the muscle suit and the crotch ripped all the way up the back. (I was a lot bigger this time due to overconsumption of holiday food as well as growing). This was a huge setback; I thought I wasn’t going to be able to be a mascot, but I grabbed a pair of shorts and ran out to the crowd and started doing my thing. However, another problem was the skirt. Even before the body suit ripped, I noticed that there was a bit of a slapping or even a tapping from a buckle! The skirt had broken and it looked like “Sparty’s” rear end was hanging out! 

This was just one of many problems. 

It’s now my senior year, and it’s the best year so far. From mascoting State football again as well as mascoting for an outside school event, this year has been the best. (Quick shoutout to Coach Anderson, Coach Motz , Ms. Bathje, Ms. Anderson, Monte  and Ms.Kundig. These guys have all helped me become the best Sparty I could have ever been.) 

As for the 2022 Golden Goat…this game was the most emotional game I’ve ever mascotted. It was the last time I will ever mascot for Sentinel. The halftime show as well as the running up and down the stairs made the game an exercise! But there came the time of the reveal….

“Ladies and gentlemen it’s Senior night for Sparty and he has a special announcement to make…Sparty can you please step forward…”  I ran and the emotions started rushing through me. The sadness of leaving the game to never mascot again to the excitement of the reaction… I walked up to the announcer and that’s when I pretended to “struggle” to take off my helmet. I looked at my family as I did this. My mom, Dad, Sister, brother-in-law, and my beautiful girlfriend. Then I faced the student section…and I removed the helmet. 

The shock and awe from all the students and the silence before they realized felt like five minutes. Then here it came…The roar of the crowd cheering me on. The loudest sound I’ve ever heard. I then heard “What would you like to say to your Sentinel brothers and sisters?” 

I then said this: “My name is Jace Jasperson and I’ve been honored to have been your sentinel Sparty for all 4 years here at Sentinel. I’m HONORED TO BE A SENTINEL SPARTAN. SPARTY OUT!” 

I then handed my helmet to the next student that wanted to be Sparty; as I left to grab my things, the emotions set in. The feeling of sadness as I walked away from the crowd because mascotting for me was met out of all sadness or stress that I carried around. With mascotting there is this energy, this vibe of just pure energy and happiness. THAT is how I felt when I had put that suit on for the first time. The suit completed me, and I felt so good about myself and being able to put myself out there and be who/ what I wanted to be! 

Overall, I loved being the mascot for Sentinel because I love my school and I’m proud to be a Spartan.