Utah high school nixes Cougars team name

DRAPER, Utah, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Students at a brand new Utah high school voted to be known as the Cougars, but the school board decreed that was too racy and chose the Chargers instead.

The Salt Lake Tribune said the board in Draper vetoed the results of the student vote on the grounds Cougar was a derogatory term because of its use as a nickname for single women on the prowl for younger boyfriends.

Bill Kosper, the athletic director at the new Corner Canyon High, admitted he was puzzled by the board's action, especially because the beloved Brigham Young University has called itself the Cougars for years. "No one has ever complained about it," he said. "Maybe somebody just watched a show or something about it on television? That is pretty wild, though."

District Superintendent David Doty said, however, that his office had received complaints from concerned parents and decided to head off any problems before Corner Canyon formally opened in 2013.

While Chargers may sound noble and neutral, the Los Angeles Times said it wasn't even among the students' top choices. After Cougars, students liked Diamondbacks, Raptors and Falcons.