New Mountaineer mascot makes first speaking appearance

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) - For many colleges and universities across the country, the school’s mascot serves as the face of the institution.

At West Virginia University, things are no different.

Each and every year, the Mountaineer mascot puts on the coonskin cap and carries the musket as the physical embodiment of WVU and what it means to be a Mountaineer.

The responsibilities that go along with holding this position extend beyond simply leading the “Let’s go, Mountaineers!” chant, as the Mountaineer mascot travels around the Mountain State for various appearances, speaking engagements and fundraisers.

“I think it helps the entire state,” WVU assistant basketball coach Billy Hahn said. “I think it helps our program a lot because it gets everybody excited about being a Mountaineer fan.”

New Mountaineer mascot Troy Clemons took over the position just recently from former mascot and Fairmont native Michael Garcia, and on April 25 he had his first public speaking appearance since putting on the coonskin cap.

Clemons joined Billy Hahn as well as WVU sophomore guard Jevon Carter at East Park Elementary School on April 25 to help motivate the students to do well on the Smarter Balanced assessments they began that day.

With it being the first of what will be many speaking engagements, Clemons understands the responsibility that goes along with his position.

“Michael (Garcia) set the bar high,” Clemons, a Greenbrier County native, said. “He did a great job with all of these schools, so I’m going to try and do the same.”

After his first speaking appearance where he stressed to the students about the importance of working hard and how much he as a West Virginian wants to see them succeed, Clemons thought the experience was a great one.

“I love it,” Clemons said. “I grew up idolizing the Mountaineer. I know the impact it has on them, and it’s really special for me to have the opportunity to reach out and do whatever I can for them.”

As more speaking engagements come his way, Clemons is excited for the opportunity and knows as his experience grows, so will the impact he’ll be able to have on children.

For now, as he builds that experience, Clemons plans to rely on what’s gotten him this far.

“Being genuine has helped me so far,” Clemons said. “(I’ve been) just speaking from the heart and being able to convey what I think I should convey.”

In what is now just the genesis of his time as the WVU mascot, Clemons is excited to continue the tradition. His future likely contains hundreds of speeches and millions of “Let’s go, Mountaineers!” chants, and he believes he can live up to the expectations that have been set for him.

“Being a Mountaineer is a big responsibility and he has a million appearances, and this being his first one, he’ll always remember this first one,” Hahn said. “(Garcia) was tremendous. I’m in my ninth year here - I don’t know how many (mascots) we’ve had - but they’ve all been tremendous.”

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Information from: Times West Virginian, https://www.timeswv.com