Think exuberance, and then dial it up to 11, "Spinal Tap" range. That gives you a pretty good picture of Dexter Gareau's audition.
"I'm Dexter the Aztec warrior!" Gareau shouted at the top of his lungs. "Aztec Nation, are you ready? Are you guys ready over there."
Gareau's five minutes "on stage" is aimed at convincing his interview panel he has enough spirit for the job. He wants to be the school's cheerleader so he can share his passion.
"I finally got a chance to come out and show my school spirit outside of just the games," Gareau said. "That's outside of just hanging with my buddies and watching the game."
A bowl-winning season for the Aztec football team, and a national ranking for the once-beaten Aztec men's basketball team are dialing up the enthusiasm for the job. It starts with a pretty straight-forward job interview.
"And out here they're expected to show and fire up this crowd of community and university fans and get everyone pumped up, as you would expect a mascot to do," said Alumni Association Executive Director Jim Herrick.
A former paratrooper and a body builder were among the aspirants. A good physique could help, but panelists say energy, attitude, and ability to work a crowd as just as critical.
The competition isn't only about spirit. Like any real job, this one includes a paycheck.
