Greetings and a warm welcome once again to the Eighth Street Films blog! Where we are in the process of telling the story of the 90th anniversary of Wartburg College athletics in the form of a documentary. Today’s post focuses on the identity of the Wartburg Knight’s mascot and the culture that surrounds what and who a Knight is to be.
The story behind the Knight’s mascot is anonymous in nature. In the early years of Wartburg College sports, the school did not have a designated and formal mascot chosen for the college. But as time went on in 1936, the college formally introduced itself as the Wartburg Knights for all of their sports teams on campus.
Once the Knights mascot was in its fullest use for the athletic department at the time, it stood as a symbol of courage, discipline and service. The Knight also stood for readiness, as they were one of the most readied soldiers in army battalions during the medieval age. As well as the willingness to step into the battle to fight and defend their homeland, even when there was no guarantee of victory set before them.
The symbolism of the Knight is greater than what is mentioned before, which gave deeper essence into the culture established at Wartburg. Students currently in sports at Wartburg can be experience the symbolism of the Knight by the ways in which they train, practice and play. You see it in their discipline, their intentionality in their drills and their passion for their teammates. You see it in the ways in which they are prideful in their performance and victories, the ways they carry themselves on and off the field and the amount of time that every sports team takes in preparation.
The Wartburg Knight reminds those who wear the name that they represent something much larger than just themselves. They represent a tradition and legacy of integrity and community. A commitment to not just excellence on the field, but as well as excellence in the classroom. As well as building not just a team at Wartburg, but a family spanning across generations of Knights.
After 90 years of Wartburg sports, the Knights have continued to stand firm in the living symbol of being a Knight, and who Wartburg strives their students to be.
Those of you who have just stepped into our journey of telling the story of the 90 years of Wartburg College athletics, we would appreciate it if you would follow our social media pages on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok at Eighth Street Films!
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