Tuesday, September 11, 2001

SuperFrog premiers new duds at SMU
Erin LaMourie
Staff Reporter

SuperFrog bulked up this summer and debuted a new look at the TCU football game Saturday against Southern Methodist University.

With the new suit, SuperFrog has a six pack, a tail and new shoes.

Jeff Tucker, head cheerleading coach, said the changes were made because the previous suit, created in fall 1999, had many problems. He said the suit was heavily padded, which made it very hot and difficult for the student inside to move around.

A student who wears the SuperFrog suit said the old suit was lined with about 8 to 10 inches of cotton padding.

“There was no circulation in the suit and body heat could not escape,” he said. “If the weather was hot, it could be very unsafe.”

Tucker said the new suit uses foam padding to make it lighter and create more defined muscles. He said the foam will help keep it cool inside the suit and make it easier for the student to maneuver.

The new SuperFrog suit was designed to look more like a real horned frog, Tucker said.

The prototype for the new suit cost about $4,700 compared to $6,400 for the two current suits, Tucker said. The money for the suits will come from the cheerleading budget, Tucker said.

Tucker said he hopes to have three or four suits made.

The student who wore the SuperFrog suit at Saturday’s game said she was able to jump around and participate in more cheers.

“The hands are now devised so that I can actually do the horned frog symbol,” she said. “(The suit) also gave me more ability to fight with the other mascot.”

The student also said she was pleased with the outer changes to the suit.

“I think it represents what a SuperFrog should look like,” she said. “It gives a lot more superiority, respect and prestige, yet it is still cute enough not to scare the kids.”

SuperFrog’s eyes are now more animated because the student’s vision inside the suit is through the mouth, Tucker said. He said previously the student’s vision was through SuperFrog’s eyes.

SuperFrog wears the same jersey, but has specially made cleats for football and soccer and Converse tennis shoes for basketball and volleyball, Tucker said.

Marna Jane Williams, sophomore biology major, said she did not like some of the changes.

“I do not like the two spikes coming out of the shoulders,” Williams said. “They seem oddly placed, as well as the tail.

“I like the old frog more, but I am sure I will get used to the new one,” she said.

Erin LaMourie
e.m.lamourie@student.tcu.edu