Sisters Share Mascot Roles as Buster, Bailey

Junior+Janie+Resa%2C+as+Buster%2C+and+freshman+Jacie+Resa+perform+together+at+the+pep+rally+Nov.+4.

Amelia Stanley

Junior Janie Resa, as Buster, and freshman Jacie Resa perform together at the pep rally Nov. 4.

Amelia Stanley, Editor-In-Chief and Photo Editor

Two costumes, two sisters, two mascots. Buster and Bailey spent every Friday night together surrounded by stadium lights and students while drenched in sweat beneath their hefty Badger mascot costumes to end up returning home together. However, they weren’t returning home as Buster and Bailey the couple, they returned as Janie and Jacie, the sisters. 

“I have had years in the past where we have had two mascots,” cheer coach Shannon Lindsey said. “However, since Janie and Jacie are sisters, I feel like that created an opportunity that hasn’t been there in the past. They are not only sisters but best friends. And I am pretty sure they can read each other’s minds.”

For the past several years, there has only been one mascot at a time, Buster or Bailey. Junior Janie Resa and freshman Jacie Resa changed that this year when they both tried out. Janie was convinced by her sister and the cheerleaders after Jacie decided she would try out to continue being mascot in high school since she was in middle school.

“It was [Jacie’s] first year getting to experience what high school was actually like instead of just sitting in the middle school section,” Janie said. “Sitting in the high school section, being able to actually be on the field, and knowing some of the kids on varsity. I feel like that was such a big thing for her, and I was really glad that I got to be there, to like, witness how excited she could be on the field.”

Jacie wore the Bailey costume and Janie wore the Buster costume. However, with volleyball, Jacie had time conflicts almost every Friday, and couldn’t make it to football games for more than one or two quarters. Jacie was able to mascot at the entire playoff game as well as the Lampasas vs East View game though.

“The Lampasas vs East View game, Jacie didn’t have a volleyball game, because it was volleyball’s bye week and we kind of got to beat up on each other,” Janie said. “Like, it was just a very funny game. Bailey and Buster definitely had beef that day. East View vs Lampasas was so fun for every cheerleader there, just everybody that was there.” 

Janie and Jacie spent a lot of time together between being mascots and seeing each other at home. They attended 6:00 a.m. cheer practice with the team every morning as well as practice on weekends and after school, fundraisers and other events with the team. 

“We’re pretty close as sisters, but we never see each other during school, so the times we would leave early, I feel like we would get to see each other a lot, but then sometimes we would just fight,”  Jacie said. 

The football team lost in the first round of the playoffs, so the football season is over and the cheer team will enter competition season now. Janie and Jacie both will not be on the competition team for different reasons. Janie plans to try out again next year, and Jacie hasn’t decided if she will yet. They’re now in basketball season. 

“Janie was not only a mascot with her sister, she was also a freshman cheerleader,” Lindsey said. “Watching her older sister be her biggest fan was super sweet.”