Pep Band pops off!
Pictured is the Flyer Pep Band at the UD men’s basketball game vs. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Photo courtesy of Olivia Shirk for Flyer News.
Luke Osciak | Managing Editor
The commanding thumps of the drums and the blaring of multiple horned instruments are heard as the Dayton Flyers Men’s basketball team has just pulled out another victory. The cheers are deafening and the music makes you feel like it’s the end of a movie. Moments like these at the University of Dayton, are only possible because of the musicians in The Flyer Pep Band.
“Go big or go home,” it says on the band’s website. FPB strives to be the loudest pep band ever, all for the community of UD. Their presence has been felt at every men’s basketball home game and tournament game over the past 40 years.
At UD we all understand that it takes a village to achieve what we can do here. FPB is one of the strongest examples of all of the hard work each individual put into UD’s community.
Community starts with each person being welcomed into it and working to find their role. To be a part of a community you must find out what you can bring to the community.
When asked about how his mindset has shifted since joining, senior Nathan Edelmann said “When I first joined the Flyer Pep Band, I was much more unsure about how I felt in the group, as I had a lot to learn.”
When asked the same question, alto saxophone junior Jacob Goubeaux said “Completely changed. Went from being shy to being one of the loudest people screaming at the basketball games”.
An essential part of being in UD’s community is letting it change you once you’re a part of it.
“I actually just started playing the trumpet a year ago. My primary instrument is the violin and has been for the past ten years. A year ago, I would’ve thought you had to be the best player in the band,” said senior trumpet Catherine Sorenson.
“I use to be intent on following the written music and playing it perfectly, I loosened up a lot because percussion doesn’t have any, and there are no uniform way we play our songs,” said junior percussion Rebecca Westhoff
The FPB puts in hard work in practice. Their performances show that hard work at practice, but also their own FPB style that has been cultivated over the years.
“It’s like a normal rehearsal but with lots more energy and excitement plus a tad bit of craziness,” said Richard Bousfield senior Trombone.
The FPB style is to play louder than any pep band ever. At practice, the team lays down the fundamentals for their performances in the games. Once they nail that down, they build on it until they are able to blast the music throughout the UD Arena.
Each musician’s feelings and hard work come out when they perform. The people who go to UD basketball games hear it every time the team walks out or a basket is scored. The community that has been nurtured through the individuals in this band all comes out during their performances at these games.
“The first audience you perform for is yourself. The rest of the world won’t enjoy your music unless you yourself enjoy it,” said freshman trumpet Gavin Ryder.
These musicians in the FPB are a microcosm of why we have such a strong community at UD. Working together, FPB continues the decades-long tradition of being the loudest pep band to excite the basketball team, the fans and themselves.
“The Flyer Pep Band is not just a band that plays music at basketball games. FPB is a family that takes care of each other. We don’t just play at the games, we perform at the games; The Flyer Pep Band is about supporting not just our basketball teams, but also our school and our community by sharing with them the joy that we exhibit when we do our thing,” said Edelmann.
If you haven’t experienced the thrill of seeing a UD home basketball game with FPB, the next home men’s basketball game will be on Fri. Nov, 24 at 7:00 p.m.