The Richmond Flying Squirrels will wear Nutasha-inspired uniforms on the field this year, a first. (Photo courtesy Richmond Flying Squirrels)
Nutasha is breaking the mascot glass ceiling. During Mother’s Day weekend (May 9-10), the Richmond Flying Squirrels will take the field wearing pink-and-gray uniforms featuring Nutasha rather than Nutzy. It will be the first time the Squirrels or any minor league team has ever worn jerseys and hats bearing the likeness of a woman mascot.
While plenty of teams have women mascots, none have appeared on uniforms. Megan Angstadt, vice president of fan and community engagement for the Squirrels, says Nutasha is different. This year marks 10 seasons of partnership with Nutzy, but she’s always been her own squirrel.
“Over the past 10 years, she has just made such an amazing impact on her own,” Angstadt says. “Her and Nutzy do a lot together, but we get requests just for Nutasha, and the community has really kind of rallied around the energy that she brings.”
Caroline Heldman, professor of gender, women and sexuality studies at Occidental College in Los Angeles, says Nutasha is impressive beyond just her popularity. “Brand mascots — sports teams, corporate or other — really signal who has value in a culture, whose identity has value and authority,” Heldman says. “Men are allowed to represent women, but you don't see women mascots for men’s teams.”
Until now. Angstadt hopes Nutasha will inspire a trend of women representing sports teams, especially baseball. “I think she's just a really cool combination of what represents women in sports; of being competitive and holding it down, but also friendly, approachable and community-oriented.”
The Richmond community played a key role during the year-and-a-half-long creative process of developing the uniform, Angstadt says. “When we revealed it, our friends with Tuckahoe Little League and Tuckahoe Sports helped provide some insight,” she adds.
The new uniforms will make several more appearances during the season, including the team’s annual Women and Girls in Sports Night in early June.
“[Nutasha is] just a really cool representation of more women getting involved in baseball,” Angstadt says.
