Nearly 40 years after a cadre of students voted on a new athletic mascot for the just-opened Moorpark College, the Athletics Department is ready to debut the New Blue Raider at tomorrow’s 40th Anniversary Kick-off.
“It is very important to establish a strong brand identity for Raider Athletics, because we have such a strong history and a tradition of excellence,” said Howard Davis, Athletic Director.
Moorpark College competes in the highly competitive Western States Conference and has won 119 WSC championships, and 9 WSC Supremacy awards.
“As impressive as our athletic success is, Raiders have enjoyed even more academic success,” said Davis. He cites two state Pepsi Scholar Athlete awards (in 2006, Mary Hanley and in 2000, Cherisse Meichtry.)
Raider teams have been nominated 23 times as Scholar Athlete teams, meaning the team average GPA is at least 3.0.
To select a new Raider, a focus group of coaches and student-athletes, faculty and staff, and administrators worked closely with Phoenix Design Works of New York, NY.
“Phoenix Design Works took our input and came up with a fantastic new mascot that corresponds with the history of the area,” said Davis.
“We decided the Raider image should pay tribute to the college’s old California heritage, to be Zorro-like,” said Davis.
Zorro was a fictional hero created by writer Johnston McCulley in 1919 who stood up for the downtrodden being tormented by rich Spanish land holders. He wore a black cape, flat-brimmed hat and mask and was a master swordsman and horseback rider.
Zorro was patterned after the real life Caifornios who were descendants of Europeans and Mestizos living in Spanish California.
In October 1967, the original MC Raider was selected by students from six choices, a Viking, Colonial, Bandito, Raccoon, Cowboy and Spanish gaucho. Over the years the original Colonial Raider morphed into more of a pirate, a problem for the college since its sister college, Ventura, had a Pirate mascot.
“We’re very pleased with our new mascot and look forward to another 40 years of excellence in athletics and in the classroom, “said Davis.
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