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Becoming Big Red
To prepare for his audition, Tomlinson watched videos of Big Red and other mascots, and his fraternity brother helped him put together a skit. Contenders for the squad are required to perform for one-and-a-half minutes that will show the panel of judges, made up of UA Athletics staff and former Spirit Squad members, what kind of spirit and enthusiasm they would bring to the role of a UA Mascot if selected.
Tomlinson ended his routine with the Arkansas Fight Song and a reenactment, accompanied by the audio recording, of Matt Jones’ famous “Miracle on Markham” play from the infamous game against LSU in 2002 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. His hard work paid off, and this is his second year performing as Big Red.
When asked what his favorite thing about being a mascot is, Tomlinson immediately talks about the kids he meets. He mentions recent visits to St. Jude and Arkansas Children’s Hospital that allowed the UA Spirit Squads to interact with kids there; “It’s cool to see kids who love life and who have gone through some trials… to touch their lives even though [I’m] not face-to-face with them. It’s just about loving on the kids and doing things that I probably wouldn’t be able to do outside of the suit… bringing joy to people as Big Red.”
A Day in the Life
All members of the UA Spirit Squads arrive at the athletic facilities four hours before games are set to begin to beat the traffic and prepare for their performances. Mascots divide up to hit all the different pep rallies scheduled on game days, and after Pledge of Allegiance and fight song, Big Red runs in with the team carrying the Razorback flag. After the game, the spirit squads are all assigned to different chores – mascots help take out the trash in the stadium. Game days are long days – eight to nine hours, typically, and the students in the Spirit Squads definitely earn their scholarships.
The role of Big Red is more than just a face for the University of Arkansas athletic department, and Tomlinson knows this. He knows that game days are all about the fans; “I want fans to not only watch the game but to be entertained… to see Big Red doing something funny, posing for pictures, messing with the band… the big thing is to not let [the fans] down.”
Tomlinson wants to coach basketball after graduation, and is grateful for the network of professional contacts that being associated with the University of Arkansas athletic department and Spirit Squads has provided him with. Being a member of a squad is a win-win, as he says, “It’s fun to be on it, and it might open doors in the future.”
First Security Bank is pleased to help promote this year’s Capital One Mascot Challenge – a national competition that you can help Big Red win! Click on the link to complete challenges on social media and push your favorite mascot to the top. Voting can be done in three ways – a simple single-click vote (50 votes are allowed each day), or by completing one of two challenges (or both!) that count for 50 or 100 votes. Challenges change each week, and weekly winners are posted on the website, so vote today, then go back next week to do it again.
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