While he’s always at the games, he is a face we rarely see. This has been the most consistent mascot our school has ever had. Junior Zachariah Sheikh has been pumping up the crowds since he was a freshman.
For two years Zachariah Sheikh kept everyone excited and filled with school spirit. His job includes all home football and basketball games. However, we can’t take how dedicated he is in the stands for granted. While he’s Watching, cheering, and taking pictures he’s always showing the most school spirit.
“Back at Russell I didn’t like the pep rallies because they were too loud,” Zachariah Sheikh said. “So my resource teacher suggested that I be the mascot at Russell and I decided to do it. I thought it was a lot of fun, and then when I got to Millard West, the principal asked me to be the mascot here and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Zachariah Sheikh has been a mascot (of any school) since his middle school years and he’ll be one until he ends his high school career. He has gotten this amazing opportunity to be a part of his school more than just a student in the crowd.
“I talked to Mr. Smith about it,” special education teacher Mistyne Aiken said. “I asked if we had a mascot and a uniform and he said yes. He went and got it for me, then I had Zach come with me and try it out. Ever since he loved it and wanted to be the mascot”
It’s not just support from his teachers, we also get to see how proud his family is. From his mom showing up to watch him on the field to his brother expressing his pride.
“I think it’s cool that my brother is the mascot,” sophomore Joseph Sheikh said. “At games people will point him out, saying stuff that the mascot is doing, and I’m like ‘yeah that’s my brother’. So yeah, I’m pretty proud of him.”
Zachariah Skeikhs’ love of being the mascot is clear to see. Everyone around him supports him, but more importantly, he’s supported by the people closest to him. Along with his family by his side, he has been able to excite everyone on the sidelines.
“He has a lot of energy and he brings a lot of fun to the sidelines,” junior Abigail Sadler said. “He always tries to do activities with us. He’ll try to cheer alongside us, when the band plays music he’ll dance with us, or when the football team runs out he’ll go do that with the Crazies.”
While he only gets to be our mascot at home football and basketball games, you can’t miss him in the stands at every game still cheering on the team. It’s clear that Zachariah Sheikh’s love of being the mascot is going to continue until he graduates and that our next one is going to have huge paws to fill