"Howie" Arrives on Ashe County High Sidelines

By Joel Frady

The Athletic Department at Ashe County High School has added a new member to the spirit department in

the form of a fuzzy gray Husky mascot named Howie. The mascot made his debut at the school's Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 10, and will be providing entertainment for both the football and basketball teams.

Rachel Shepherd, the varsity cheer leading coach, said that Howie was a hit with the crowd during the game.

"They love to come down and greet him," she said. "It gets people much more excited about the game, and he does a fantastic job of getting the crowd involved."

Howie isn't the first mascot to roam the sidelines for Ashe County, however. Shepherd said that they haven't had a mascot on the field for more than a year because "the old mascot costume was in pieces, it was in absolutely terrible condition." The school's booster club stepped in and funded the new mascot.

Ashe Senior, James Ryan Payne has taken the duty of bringing Howie to life for the football season. Payne said he auditioned for the role because a friend told him to, but also liked the idea that he could "be in that mascot and act like a complete fool, and knowing that nobody knew who I was kind of made it really cool."

He added that he has enjoyed "being able to interact with the people and getting to see their reactions."

He said the biggest challenge he has faced has been making the husky look funny and kid-friendly, which Payne believes can be a challenge.

"I think he's kind of scary looking," Payne said. But making the mascot likeable isn't the only challenge Payne is facing. The 18-year-old claims to be a "shy, innocent little guy that doesn't talk out loud much and is not really outgoing." He said his mother's friends were shocked to find out he was the mascot.

| "Now, everyone's just like 'he's actually doing something. That's really crazy spontaneous," he laughed.

Shepherd said that two judges chose Payne after he auditioned with four other students, partially because he worked well with the cheerleaders.

"He had a lot of creative ideas as far as the things he did when he was trying out," she said. "He did a fantastic job."

Payne won't be the only student playing Howie this year. He will be the mascot for the remainder of football season, but two students will perform the role during basketball season.

"We have to have two kids to alternate for basketball season because it's so hot in the outfit," Shepherd explained.

Although the mascot is currently going by the name Howie - named by the cheerleaders because of the popular 'howling' cheer - but Shepherd said that the name isn't necessarily permanent and that they have considered holding a school-wide election to let the students choose the name.

Payne, as Howie, will be active on the sidelines for Ashe County's battle for first place against Starmount on Friday, Oct. 24.