At every varsity game or school spirit event, he is always there.
With his fuzzy wings, loveable bulky feet and customized jersey, Thunder the Thunderbird has represented UBC since 1934. But who’s the person behind the mask?
The Ubyssey had a chance to sit down with Thunder — whose identity has remained anonymous — to answer burning questions about the iconic role.
This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
The Ubyssey: Are you a student, and if so, what is your year and major?
Thunder: I am in my third year studying engineering at the University of British Columbia, specifically biomedical engineering.
The Ubyssey: How did you find out about being Thunder? What was that like?
Thunder: Back in first year, I was looking for a job that was fun [and] exciting, trying to get myself involved in sports and a nice workout to integrate into my school-work balance. I was going through the [UBC] Athletics career page, and I came across this position that was open. I just applied, got my resume in and didn’t really think otherwise about it. But they reached out, and they were willing to interview me and so I underwent the hiring process. I ended up getting the job, and luckily, I ended up really enjoying this job, so I stuck with it throughout the years.
The Ubyssey: When you were applying for the job, did you need any prior qualifications?
Thunder: When I applied, they asked me if I had any previous background experience as a mascot. In high school, one of the teachers asked me if I wanted to be [our school’s] mascot, because at the time, my high school was a pretty small high school, and no one really wanted to be the mascot. So I volunteered, and one path led to another, and then that got me here.
The Ubyssey: What’s your favourite part about being a mascot?
Thunder: My favourite part about being a mascot is interacting with fans — giving them a high five, giving them hugs, seeing the smile on their faces. It’s really rewarding at all the games and at all the social events.
The Ubyssey: The Thunderbird has a long and storied history at UBC. How do you see your role in promoting athletics and recreation at the university?
Thunder: I definitely embody the community of athletics and all the athletes and all those values. I think it’s really important to have a connection between athletes and the crowd, and I think Thunder does a really good job at that. Sure, the game is going on, but having the fans interact with the embodiment of the university and hav[ing] the fans follow chants and drumming rhythms — all that is really very cool.
The Ubyssey: What is your mindset for getting to a game and being on a high energy level?
Thunder: It’s having a lot of confidence in yourself. I normally am a really shy person, but if you put on the costume, you become a whole new person. You don’t really act like how you would if you were yourself. The mask gives you a sort of anonymity where they’re not laughing at me as a person, but they’re laughing with Thunder and all the jokes that he makes [and] how he interacts.
The Ubyssey: What is the visibility like in the suit? How well can you see and move around while wearing it?
Thunder: Surprisingly, not as bad as people would think. I have no trouble getting around anywhere that I would probably want to. And as for visibility, it’s not the greatest ... but it’s no different than putting on a narrow set of sunglasses.
The Ubyssey: How often does the suit get washed and does it get really hot and sweaty in there?
Thunder: I get asked that question a lot. The suit gets washed between every single game. We have several suits and they get put out in rotation. As for how comfortable it is ... it is not unbearable. It does get warm and this job isn’t for everybody, but it’s not as bad as people would normally think.
The Ubyssey: Mascots can be intimidating to some people, so I’m wondering, what percentage of people do you think are scared of Thunder?
Thunder: That’s a good one. If I were to maybe estimate a number, I think maybe around 20 per cent of kids get scared.
The Ubyssey: Can you rank your favourite games to go to?
Thunder: My favourite game to go to of all time is the Homecoming game. It is awesome. We get to march from the Nest all the way to the football stadium, and that trek is really fun. My next favourite game would be the Winter Classic. That’s another huge event. I love interacting with Birb, who always comes to the Winter Classic [and] a mascot race always happens at the Winter Classic. So that’s always a classic that I look forward to. Next favourite game of [the] regular games would be volleyball. It’s a great pace, you can get a nice rhythm going.
The Ubyssey: What is your most embarrassing Thunderbird moment?
Thunder: My most embarrassing Thunderbird moment has to be when I tripped on the stairs and the whole crowd [went] ‘oo’ and you can just feel it in your gut.
The Ubyssey: Do you think that you’re going to continue to be Thunder until you graduate? Do you think you’ll be a mascot after you graduate?
Thunder: We’ll see where the path takes me ... I don’t think I would turn down any opportunities that came in my way, but I don’t think I would actively seek it out.
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