From athletic uniforms to school merchandise to logos around the school, the Golden Lion is forever linked with St. Pius X, but how and why did it become our official school mascot? 

In 1958, St. Pius X first opened its doors to eager students, but the school only had a name and needed a mascot. It was decided that the students themselves should pick it. Anyone interested in sharing their idea was asked to write a short essay explaining why their choice would be the perfect fit. 

Bill Poole, a freshman at the time, suggested a golden lion. He said he took inspiration from St. Mark, the patron saint of the city of Venice, Italy, who was always seen with a golden lion. He also liked the courage that a lion represents. 

“The strength and the courage of the lion and the fact that it [was] part of the [Pope Pius X’s] crest caused me to think that it would be an appropriate mascot for the school,” Poole said in a phone interview.

Poole was on the football team and said that helped him think of a lion as well. 

“I was a football player, so I felt strongly about the courage and the strength aspects of the [offensive and defensive] lines,” said Poole 

The school mascot wasn’t the only fixture of St. Pius X that Poole is credited with. He and the football coach at the time, Bill Connolly, designed the school’s crest based on the official one for Pope Pius X. They made sure to include a golden lion at the top. 

The design of the mascot has changed over the years, but its presence will always remain. Many people have had a lasting impact on St. Pius X, and Poole’s choice of a golden lion almost 70 years ago is one of the largest. If you’re interested in reading his essay, a copy is hanging on the bulletin board in the breezeway.