CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For AJ Crowder, the costume was never just a costume.
Over the last 10 years, Crowder built a career performing as a mascot. He was a mascot for two years in middle school, and all four years of both high school and at Austin Peay State University.
The Greenbrier native went to Austin Peay as The Gov on a full scholarship and won a national championship as a mascot. There's even a banner on campus to mark it.
Now, diploma in hand, Crowder is stepping into unfamiliar territory: the job market.
"I'd say just a free agent," he laughed. "Right now, free agent."
He is looking for a mascot coordinator position or an entry-level role in the field — whatever gets him back in the game.
The path forward is not straightforward. Most professional mascot opportunities do not come with a draft, a commissioner at a podium, or a first-round pick announcement. Crowder is navigating the search through networking, a resume, scouring online job listings, and leaning on the reel he has spent years assembling.
"It's definitely been one of those things where it's like – do I need to start looking at other options?" he asked. "Right? I obviously have my degree to fall back on."
But walking away is not something he is ready to do. He feels this is his calling.
"I'm willing to do it," he said. "I'm willing to go the extra mile. I've been willing to go the extra mile this entire 10 years I've been doing this."
Crowder said his time at Greenbrier and Austin Peay shaped how he thinks about the role a mascot plays in a community.
"It's my passion," he said. "It's truly been something that I wanted to do and every day that I wake up, I say, 'How can I keep doing this for the foreseeable future?'"
"I have faith that this has been something I have been born to do," Crowder said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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