The Walt Whitman girls basketball team is made up of 13 talented players, four smart coaches and one real dummy!   

Seriously.   

If you go to the Wildcats' games you'll see "Harold" - a full-sized mannequin that doubles as a good luck charm.

"People come up to our bench and go what is that?," said senior forward Kathleen O'Mara. 

The players say Harold is the Wildcats biggest fan. He first showed up four years ago.

"During COVID no one was allowed at our games. It was lonely and quiet there," said O'Mara.

"So we were like we need somebody there, so we were like let's buy a mannequin," said fellow senior Iris Hoffman.

So, they got some money together and Harold joined the team. He's suited up ever since. 

"He's come to all of our games. Hasn't missed one. He's now part of us I feel like," said Wildcats senior Courtney Magee.

Harold is bald. His right foot is bend awkwardly and he always wears "Uno" socks.

"He's kind of creepy looking when you really look at him.  He doesn't say a lot, he just makes a bold statement when he's there," said O'Mara.

The Wildcats also make sure Harold makes a fashion statement by having a theme for all of their games and dressing Harold in that theme.

"We've done USA, the white out, the classic jersey. We do suit and tie.  He also  wears a cap and gown on our senior night which I love," said Magee, who is Harold's designated stylist.

"Once we bought him we were like, we cant get rid of him," said Hoffman.

That's because the Wildcats have won a lot ever since they got Harold, including last year's county championship and 17 games this season. So getting rid of him might make them the dummies.

"I feel like he's part of the team and part of us," said Magee.

Harold will be there Saturday when the Wildcats start the Suffolk County playoffs.