DAVID NAKAGAMI
Assistant Sports Editor
In the midst of a busy fall sports schedule, the athletes are not the only ones feeling the crunch. Pepperdine’s mascot Willie the Wave has been busy making his presence felt at Waves home games. The friendly and bubbly face of Pepperdine sports found time between contests to sit down in an exclusive interview to talk about his role, his pre-game routine and what he does in his leisure.
How would you describe your responsibility in Pepperdine athletic events?
My role is to be 110 percent supportive of Pepperdine student-athletes. I am the biggest Waves fan, and I try to represent Pepperdine University in the most positive ways that I can. During the games, I have to pump up the crowd as much as possible. During timeouts and halftime, I bring out my dance skills to entertain the crowd. When the Waves aren’t doing too well during the game, it’s my job to fire up the crowd and fire up the players. That’s the role of any mascot at any school.
That sounds like a full-time job. What is your routine on game days?
I wake up, look in the mirror, and I say to myself, “It’s a great day to be a Wave!” On the day of a game, I like to get a good workout. I hit the gym to lift weights, go for a run and then a yoga/Pilates class to relax. I drink a lot of water to re-hydrate after my workout and keep hydrated during games. Then I do stretches to loosen up. After that, I listen to pump-up music on my iPod until game time. Right before I go out, I put my shades on. When I put my shades on, it’s game time.
Do you eat anything special to keep your energy up?
I’m the Pepperdine mascot. All the energy I need comes from the Pepperdine fans. Honestly, before contests, I eat a big, healthy breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day. After that, I don’t eat anything else because I’m too excited and nervous for the game. On off days, I’m big on seafood and sushi. I love to go to Duke’s for their fish tacos and nachos. On hot days, I head over to Malibu Yo. I’m a big eater, because I need the energy to get fired up for every Waves game.
Besides food, songs seem to give you some extra oomph. What are your favorite tunes?
I love rock and roll. I’m getting into a bit of techno. But I can’t help but get excited when I hear “Catch a Wave” by the Beach Boys or my theme song “Little Willy” by Sweet.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time, I examine game film. I like to scout out the opposing teams. I also go surfing whenever I can. I enjoy going for long drives up PCH. I like to get together with my mascot friends and watch sporting events on TV. Although we don’t have a football team here, I like watching College GameDay on ESPN. I also like playing on Facebook. Friend me.
You are a pretty outgoing character. Is there something that people don’t know about Willie?
People don’t know that I love to travel. From 1996 to 2006, I traveled all over the world. I went and checked out the big waves at places like Tahiti, Africa, and Australia. People also don’t realize that I was really good friends with King Neptune. When he took over the mascot job here for about five years, we talked a lot over the phone. He would call me to let me know how the teams were doing. I’d give him some pointers on winning over the crowd. I was really glad to return last year. I missed this place and Pepperdine will always be my home.
During your hiatus, what is the Pepperdine tradition you missed most?
Definitely Blue & Orange Madness. It’s our time to come together as Pepperdine fans and just celebrate our basketball teams and the beginning of their season. Not only is it the official start of basketball season, but it’s the anniversary of my return to Malibu from my 10-year vacation in 2006. This year, Blue & Orange Madness is Friday October 12. The village opens at 7 p.m. in the Firestone parking lot, with free In-N-Out, games, and a live band. The official event begins at 8:45 p.m. in the Fieldhouse. I’m excited to see the whole campus pack the arena for their first glimpse of the highly anticipated men’s and women’s basketball teams. I hope to see all you crazy Waves fans there.
10-04-2007
