Bucky is a busy Badger, especially during the fall sports season. The UW Spirit Squad holds tryouts each spring for the chance to be Wisconsin’s beloved mascot. The current cast is made up of seven male students and six costumes, each with a 35-pound head. In addition to being energetic and creative (and ideally, between 5’10’’ and 6’2”), each Bucky needs to be organized and reliable. These time management skills come in handy when Bucky needs to make multiple appearances on the same day — Buckys can never cross paths or change into their costumes in public! The only exception is at summer training camp, where all Buckys join the mascots from 40-plus colleges to learn the tricks of their trade from the Universal Cheerleaders Association at UW-Milwaukee. Some student-athletes are mascots for one year; others fill the furry paws of Buckingham U. Badger for all four years.