Woodford County High School senior Brandon Wiley wasn’t exactly planning on becoming a Yellow Jacket mascot.
He just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Wiley recently took on the role of Woodford County’s Yellow Jacket mascot, bringing another level of school spirit to games and other events during his senior year.
The opportunity came about almost by accident. Wiley was helping move items when he spotted the Yellow Jacket mascot head and costume. A conversation followed, and before long, Wiley had a new role.
“I was in the right place at the right time,” Wiley said.
Since putting on the costume, Wiley has embraced everything that comes with being the Yellow Jacket.
To Wiley, being a mascot is about more than walking around on the sidelines. He sees the gig as helping create energy in the stands, supporting Woodford County’s athletes and, most importantly, giving people something to smile about.
“It’s making people happy,” Wiley said. “It’s a very big opportunity. I love Woodford County.”
Wiley said the role of a mascot can change depending on the sport and the situation. Sometimes it means interacting with younger fans. Other times, it means trying to get a quiet crowd on its feet and behind the Jackets.
That is something Wiley believes can make a difference, particularly under the Friday night lights.
“When people cheer with you, you find out how people cheer in bigger sports, such as football, where cheering really, really matters,” Wiley said.
That school pride is a big reason Wiley has embraced the opportunity. While he may not be the one making the plays on the football field, he still feels like he can contribute from the sidelines.
“I’m not on the football team, but I’m over here supporting them,” Wiley said.
He especially enjoys interacting with younger Woodford County fans and athletes. Wiley sees them as the next generation who will eventually put on a Woodford County uniform themselves.
“I’m also keeping the future generation of our athletes, the cheer team and the future football players happy, so they know that they’re going to have someone to cheer,” Wiley said.
For Wiley, the timing couldn’t be much better. He is beginning his senior year and getting one final opportunity to experience Woodford County athletics from a completely different perspective. As a wrestler for the Mat Jackets, Wiley has plenty of experience from the mat; now he gets to see sports from the sidelines.
Instead of spending that final year simply watching from the stands, Wiley will be right in the middle of the action.