‘Beheading’ Big Blue
After two years of service, KC Santistevan has retired from his position as Utah State mascot Big Blue.
He was “beheaded” on March 7 at the final home basketball game of the season and will be graduating with a master’s in social work in May.
“It is always a bittersweet feeling when you have mascots retire,” said Nicole Troumbley, the spirit squad coach. “You grow close to these individuals who put so much into the image of the mascot.”
Ian Anderson is a member of the spirit squad and has been working with Santistevan for the past two years.
“He’s a great guy and he’s super kind to everybody,” Anderson said. “At the same time, he has this perfect personality for Big Blue … he’s a little crazy and super fun and has lots of energy.”
Santistevan said it was never his goal to be any of this.
“I always played all the other sports in high school and growing up,” he said. “Coming into college, I tried to, but I’d always get hurt.”
When he was at Weber, Santistevan was on the wrestling team that practiced in the same gym as the cheerleaders.
“So I was there getting smashed into the net, and theirs looked a lot funner than mine,” he said. “And so when I came up here, I asked if they had any tryouts or anything, and I was able to get on a team, luckily that year.”
Santistevan cheered for two years at USU before trying out for, and getting the part of, Big Blue. While both positions are part of the spirit squad, Santistevan attested they are very different.
“You don’t have the same successes. You don’t have the same failures,” he said. “You’re just there to entertain. You’re always on the spot. You’re always performing.”
According to Santistevan, being Big Blue is all about putting on a show.
“You have to really make every gesture and move big,” he said. “You can’t talk or show any facial expression, so everything has to be pantomime.”
With the loss of Santistevan, the squad is left to fill the spot of Big Blue. Coach Troumbley will be hosting tryouts on April 1 in the Spectrum.
She said it’s “always a little nerve-racking” to find a new mascot, but “it is so neat to see new ones that come in with new excitement to keep traditions going.”
As for Santistevan, he will continue with a career in social work.
“I am looking at either pursuing a career abroad first if at all possible while I am still young,” he said, “but have a few options available in some of the surrounding states if that falls through.”
He is not becoming a professional mascot, but will continue to be “a dedicated die hard” at his younger siblings’ sporting events.
— reid.al73@gmail.com