High School Mascot of the Year | The 2026 Mascot Awards
The High School Mascot of the Year is the Mascot Hall of Fame’s top annual honor for high school mascot programs. It’s a Golden Reggy for the mascot that best brought its school, fans, and community to life.
Friday night lights get the headlines. The character leading the student section, firing up the pep rally, and high-fiving kids at the elementary school book fair keeps a school’s spirit running all year long. This award is for that mascot.
What the High School Mascot Awards Honors
The High School Mascot of the Year award honors an outstanding high school mascot program that made a meaningful impact on its school and community during the award year.
It celebrates more than what happens on the sidelines. The winning mascot brings school spirit to life, engages students and fans, elevates the game-day experience, represents its school with pride, and makes a positive difference beyond athletic events.
Unforgettable entrances, crowd interactions, pep rallies, school events, community appearances, charity work, and creative content all count. Nominees should show how their mascot has become an important part of their school’s identity.
What Judges and Fans Look For
Judges and fans consider each high school mascot:
- Game-day presence and crowd energy
- School spirit and pride in representation
- Creativity and character performance
- Fan and student engagement
- Community involvement beyond the stadium or gym
- Overall impact during the eligible award year
Show, don’t tell. The strongest nominations prove the mascot’s work with video and photos rather than relying on a written description alone.
The Question This Award Asks
Which high school mascot did the most to bring its school, fans, and community to life this year?
How to Nominate a High School Mascot
Each high school mascot program may submit:
- One 60–90 second highlight video
- 5–10 photographs
- An impact statement of 250 words or fewer covering the program’s strongest accomplishments from the eligible year
- Up to three supporting links (optional): social posts, news coverage, or additional video
The Three Dimensions Every Highlight Reel Should Show
Game Day + School Spirit + Community Impact
Covering all three keeps the award focused on the program as a whole. It isn’t a contest for the school with the most followers or the fanciest video editor. A great mascot with a smartphone and a full calendar can absolutely win.
Open Mascot Awards High School Programs Can Enter
High school mascots can also compete in the Mascot Awards’ open categories, which are open to all levels:
- Stunt of the Year
- Best Dance Performance
- Greatest Community Impact
- Mascot Fail of the Year (Ultimate Blooper or Mishap)
- Awwww Inspiring Moment (Feel-Good Moment of the Year)
- Mascot First
- Most Iconic Viral Moment
- Best New Mascot Reveal
- Rising Star Award (Mascots 5 Years and Younger)
- Mascot Prop of the Year
- Mascot Video Short of the Year
- Best In-Game Routine or Skit
Did You Know?
The word “mascot” comes from the stage, not the sidelines. French composer Edmond Audran’s comic operetta La Mascotte premiered in Paris in December 1880. Its title brought the French word mascotte into standard use and gave English the word “mascot.” The term traces back to a Provençal word for a spell or charm, so technically, every high school mascot is a good-luck charm in a costume.
About the Mascot Awards
The Mascot Awards, presented by the Mascot Hall of Fame, celebrate the best moments in mascotry every year. Hall of Fame induction honors a career. The Golden Reggys honor this year’s best moments, and every mascot program can earn one, Hall of Famer or not.
The trophy is named for Reggy the Purple Party Dude, the Mascot Hall of Fame’s official spokescharacter, French fry hair and all.
