The Amazons live on, Madeira High School to keep both mascot names

MADEIRA, OH (FOX19) - Madeira High School has two mascots, one for the boys and one for the girls. After the school attempted a rebranding effort, the high school announced that they would keep both of the district's team names – Mustangs and Amazons.

When the school board announced a plan to review the district's individual team names, several former Madeira athletes stepped up to defend the Amazon name.

Danielle Lydon is a former Madeira basketball player who still has her Amazon letterman's jacket. The nickname started in 1970 when the girls' teams began to win under legendary coach Nadine Wilson.

"The boys got upset that the girls were winning everything, and they called them 'Amazons'. One night they went in and trashed the girl's locker room," Lydon explained.

Considering the real definition of an Amazon - a legendary race of female warriors - Coach Wilson decided to take the intended insult and turn it into a positive.

And nearly 45 years later, the Madeira Amazon mascot remains.

Recently, Lydon and a small army of alumni have banded together to defend the name after word spread that the district was planning to discuss brand refinement and a possible name change.

A memo from the district read, "Our goal is to build a coherent and consistent message that is easily understood by everyone in Madeira and other districts."

However, after receiving input from numerous members of the community, the school decided to keep with tradition.

Madeira City Schools released a press release on Wednesday stating:

"It is clear from the feedback we have heard during this discovery phase of our brand building process that the Amazon name is a very important and unique part of Madeira Schools, and as many have pointed out, a big part of the history of who we are. With this in mind, I believe it is in the best interest of the school district and community to continue using both the Amazon and Mustang names."

The school states that they will involve more people in their branding efforts in the future.