Junior Will Kennedy and other band members stand at attention during a halftime performance.
Oct 7, 2014
When the football team began their season and so did the Belles and band. This year, like most, the band has the job of practicing for their competition season as well as the football season since the two overlap. Luckily, this overlap has been simplified through the similarity in football and competition routines.
“The show we play at football games is the show we play at competitions, so we are pretty much preparing for both when we’re at band rehearsal,” senior percussionist Patrick Switala said. “We usually treat the football performances as practice performances for our competitions.”
However, for many students like Switala, band practice in addition to the daily workload, can be a struggle, especially entering senior year.
“Band is just a huge time commitment with all the rehearsals and football games,” Switala said, “so it’s hard to manage it all especially as a senior since I also need to work on college applications at the same time.”
Yet, aside from stressful time management and constant band rehearsals, the football game that has changed everyone’s moods year after year has been the Lamar game. Both the Belles and the band expressed enthusiasm when it came to this game, and everyone seemed to be looking forward to this game for about the same reasons.
“I’m looking forward to the Lamar game the most this year. I have a really strong feeling we’re going to win. I’m really excited for the halftime show and the amount of people who usually show up for the game,” junior Elizabeth Burgher said, “It’s pretty amazing.”
Switala held the same view, adding on that he looked forward to the audience and the general spirit of the crowd during the Lamar game.
In the upcoming Lamar match as well as in other football games, the Belles depend on the band and as a show of their gratitude, band appreciation week was made. A week that happens once a year, the Belles got to express their thanks to the band through food and recognition. For the band, it was a good feeling.
“It’s nice to see the band get recognized,” Switala said, “On Friday, the Belles sent over plates of cookies.”
The band has pushed through this football season and has continued to work hand in hand with the Belles during football games and other fall festivities. Through teamwork, the Belles and the Mighty Cardinal Band have been able to represent Bellaire with strong spirit, and in turn, they have been able to represent themselves in a good light.
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