Known for their renowned halftime and “fifth-quarter” performances after home football games and their ability to instantly hype up the student body, the FHC Marching Band and Drumline have brought something new to the Forest Hills Central community: a tradition.
Starting this year, on almost every Thursday night at around 7 o’clock at Legacy Park in downtown Ada, you will hear a familiar sound. Whether it’s the boom of drums, the high shrill from the trumpets, or even the low basses coming from the tubas, there will be music.
Playing together just like they do at games and assemblies, the Drumline and Marching Band of FHC host pep rallies before home football games. While they are new this year, they have been in the works for many years prior.
“The pep rally was started by Mr. Burns and Mr. Destefano, really, throughout the past couple of years,” said senior drummer Jack Monterusso. “Specifically, the last decade, they’ve been looking for a lot more opportunities [for the band] outside of football games. It was kind of a joint decision between the two of them.”
At the pep rallies, most of the music you’ll hear will sound familiar. The typical ‘routine’ that is performed includes the show music typically played pre-game (the Ranger fight song, “eat ‘em up”, and drum cadences), at halftime, and exclusively by the drumline.
What’s special about the pep rallies compared to performances during games is that the drumline sequence of the event is ever-changing. The drumline sequence is always different at each pop-up because the drummers will add new sections before their next performance to display their talents.
Despite the newness of the pep rallies, the community has repeatedly shown up to offer support for the marching band and drumline since they started.
“The turnout on the first one wasn’t a whole lot of people, “ said Senior drummer Cam Penner. “But since the word got out, there’s been a lot more people showing up, which is really, really cool. It’s been a very successful turnout.”
In turn, the marching band and drumline give back to the community for their support.
“The pep rallies help build hype for the football games, but they also help build our community spirit,” said Junior drumline member Paulie Erickson. “Just knowing that the community is supporting the band is really helpful for us.”
While the band and drumline are very well known for their talent and skills, they aren’t typically thought of as having as much of an impact on the community as the sports teams (specifically football) at FHC do, but the pep rallies are the way to change that.
“The pep rallies have a very positive effect on people,” said Senior Drum Major Audrey Milanowski. “We connect through music. Everyone can hear it downtown. Music is a very bonding thing, and so I think it gets people in a good mood. I always see kids dancing to the music, and a lot of people just get into it.”
Another great thing about the pep rallies is the effect that they have on the performers.
While each of the performers, whether in the band or a member of the drumline, plays the same music repeatedly between the pep rallies and football games or assemblies, some players find something in their Thursday night performances that is different than the standard band outings.
“My favorite part of our pep rally is definitely playing our halftime music, “ said Monterusso. “ Out on the field, people might be distracted with concessions or chatting with their friends, but if you come to a pep rally, you can really hear the details of the music for our halftime show.”
Compared to other traditions that are in place here at Forest Hills Central High, like the homecoming parade and powderpuff games, as well as the winterfest macho volleyball game, the band pep rallies don’t have special events that are connected to them and celebrated annually.
However, this is a good thing.
It sets them apart from the age-old traditions that have been in place at school for decades and creates a new opportunity, which may be a turning point.
If the homecoming and winterfest week traditions can be in place for as long as they have, although sadly the bonfire tradition has been retired, why can’t the new traditions at FHC remain?
The members of the band certainly see this happening.
“With the support of students, [I see this lasting] because I just feel like we really need to get people to really start coming and enjoying the pep rallies for them to be even more long-lasting,” said Millanowski. “I think it’s a pretty good tradition and will continue even after I graduate.”
The next time you have a free Thursday night this fall and are thinking about something to do, consider showing up in support of FHC’s newest tradition. You’ll not only be supporting the band and drumline, but you’ll also have a lot of fun.
“I think the pep rallies are a good way for the community to come and see the band outside of football games,” said Monterusso. “So maybe if you don’t have a kid who goes to this school or a friend who goes to this school, so you don’t always come to the Friday night football games, you can still take your young kids or maybe just your partner out and go and see a fun experience.”
