By Many wonder how people get chosen to play their school mascot. Many also wonder why: Why would someone want to put on a bulky outfit he can hardly see in?
But for 19-year-old sophomore Danny Abarca, playing CSULB’s mascot, Prospector Pete, has many rewards.
Abarca has been playing Prospector Pete since his freshman year, and received the job from the head of the Beach Pride Center, Chance Decker.
“There were three other guys up for the job, and I had no experience,” Abarca said. “[The Beach Pride Center] looked at our personalities and I ended up getting the job.”
Abarca attends many CSULB athletic events as Prospector Pete, mostly men’s and women’s volleyball and basketball games. However, he is working on attending other athletic events like soccer, water polo and baseball.
“I want to get more people to go to those games and show that Beach Pride supports those teams, too,” Abarca said.
Abarca’s favorite event to attend is women’s volleyball.
“Students get into it [the game], and we have lots of traditions,” he said. He said traditions include the chanting of “Long Beach State” on a bump, set and hit.
Abarca’s events as Prospector Pete are not limited to CSULB athletic competitions. Alongside the CSULB cheer team, he cheered on the runners at the Long Beach Marathon on Oct. 14.
Although playing the role of Prospector Pete is a lot of fun for Abarca, wearing the outfit might be a little challenging.
“It gets really hot in there!” he said. “It’s hard to wear at first. I have a limited scope of vision; I can’t see straight in front of me.” Regardless, Abarca continues to love what he does.
Those who play the role of a school mascot are bound to have embarrassing moments while on the job. For Abarca, it happened at a women’s volleyball game.
“Originally the outfit was a one-piece jump suit,” he began. “I did a lunging pose and the pants ripped from the thigh up … and all this happened in front of the cheer team.”
Abarca also cleans and maintains the Prospector Pete outfit himself. “I don’t want him to become ‘Stinky Pete’ – it could be a nickname that sticks,” he said.
The best part about being Prospector Pete, Abarca said, is getting to know people. “It’s the greatest ice-breaker in the world.”
Abarca also told of a blind girl who couldn’t go to sleep until she said good night to Prospector Pete. “It’s things like this that make this job worthwhile,” he said.
Another factor that makes playing Prospector Pete worthwhile is that Abarca is awarded full tuition for his efforts. “I get paid to do what I love,” he said.
While playing the school mascot may seem like a big job, Abarca still finds time to hang out with friends and participate in the juggling club. He is also the assistant wrestling coach at Paramount High School, having wrestled himself at Warren High School.
One might ask why a sophomore has so much school spirit. But Abarca’s connection to CSULB goes back to his mom, who attended the university, and his sister, who is currently a senior.
This connection had solidified Abarca’s school spirit. For him, Prospector Pete is a true symbol of Beach Pride. As Prospector Pete, Abarca hopes to inspire more school spirit on campus, saying, “My goal is to centralize this campus and establish more Beach Pride.”
