ORLANDO, Fla. (July 15, 2010) – Rollins’ beloved mascot Tommy Tar leaves the sidelines and enters the arena as a participant at this weekend’s 18th Annual Celebrity Mascot Games.

The event, which benefits New of for Kids, begins on Thursday, July 15 at the Volusia County Fair & Expo Center, and then comes to the Amway Arena on Friday July 16 and Saturday, July 17. The show begins at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and at 2 p.m. on Saturday. CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION

Last season, Tommy made is debut at the event and quickly established himself as the creature to beat in the joust. Now with a target on his back this season, Tommy has armed himself with a new anchor to aid in his bid to remain the joust champion.

“I really stepped up my training regimen in preparation for this year’s games,” said Tommy. “Last year, powerball exposed some weakness in my game, but Will Hitzelberger and his staff at Spectrum Sports Performance worked on my agility throughout the off-season. I think powerball will be one of my top events this year.”

“Tommy really bought into our program and I think it will pay dividends,” said Hitzelberger. “Just like with all the student-athletes at Rollins, it was tough to work around his strenuous class schedule and extracurricular activities, but he had his eye on the prize and has done everything it takes to succeed.”

Nearly 30 mascots from Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA and the Arena Football League battle through gladiator themed games, to see who is the true champion of the mascot world.

“I plan to win everything, but the joust is still my event,” added Tommy. “All the years of rigging ships and sailing the high seas has sharpened my strength and balance, setting me up for dominance yet again this year.”

Proceeds from the Celebrity Mascot Games benefit New Hope for Kids, an Orlando based not-for-profit organization. New Hope For Kids grants wishes to children under the age of 18 who are suffering from life-threatening illness and provides grief support for children who have lost a family member. Since its inception, New Hope has granted more than 3,000 wishes, focusing on the children of Central Florida. In addition, since the first Mascot Games in 1992, this event raised more than $250,000 for New Hope for Kids.