Preparation, passion and purple pride: What game day is like for members of the K-State Marching Band
For a K-State fan, there’s no better feeling than being surrounded by a sea of purple
inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium on a K-State football home game day. And the members
of the K-State Marching Band have one of the best views in the house from down on
the field, looking up into the stands and entertaining the crowd of Wildcat fans.
The Marching Band members are so talented — and so good at what they do — that they
make it all look effortlessly easy. But each game day performance represents countless
hours of hard work spent getting ready to put on a show.
“You can just take it all in, Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and it's just beautiful,”
said Classy Cat Kayla Albold, a K-State sophomore majoring in civil engineering. “I'm
pretty sure my first game last year I was crying. All the work is worth it.”
Here’s a peek behind the scenes of all that goes into getting the Marching Band ready
for game day.
Before the game
Throughout the week, you’ll spot members of the Marching Band practicing on the field
at World War I Memorial Stadium on campus — regardless of whether the temperature
is blazing hot or freezing cold.
“After a day of band camp, I think my step count is like, 35,000,” laughs Farhan Chowdhury,
head drum major and a K-State senior studying computer science and cybersecurity.
On a home game day, the gates to Bill Snyder Family Stadium open two hours prior to
kickoff, but for Marching Band members, the day starts much earlier.
Although the time game day prep begins varies based on what section of the band a
student is in, Marching Band members can expect a rather early start.
For Angel Amaro — music instructor for the baritone section and a K-State senior majoring
in music education and music performance — an 11 a.m. kickoff means a 3:30 a.m. wake-up
time. And Classy Cat Kayla Albold’s day starts even earlier — wake-up time would be
at 2 a.m. for hair and make up.
Farhan Chowdhury said that different sections have their own special traditions that
build camaraderie and make the game day experience more fun.
“The 11 a.m. kickoff, I woke up at 2, and I got ready and made breakfast for the other
drum majors,” he said. “They came over at 4, and so we feasted. We watched Sesame Street. Then we went to a staff meeting and then started the day from there.”
Chowdhury also has his own game day playlist for the car ride called "Game Day Adrenaline"
and shouts "Happy Game Day!" to people passing by. “It’s a really good atmosphere,
definitely. Just a lot of joy.”
Twirler Allie Phillips, a K-State freshman majoring in athletic training, says that
one of her favorite traditions is the twirlers’ field goal toss. “You have to catch
it, or else you have to keep on going,” she said. “It’s super cute, and we all just
do different tricks each time.”
Kayla Albold said the Classy Cats have a “Family” sign, and they tap it with their
palm. They also celebrate with a “Pixy Stick circle,” where they perform a chant and
then eat their candy. Angel Amaro’s game day traditions include donuts and shaking
the hand of the Ernie Barrett '51, '56 statue in front of Bramlage Coliseum.
Rehearsals start five hours before kickoff, says Caden Roark, head trumpet section
leader and a K-State senior majoring in music education. “So if it's an 11 a.m. game,
rehearsals start at 6 a.m. but most sections are there by 5. Most of what happens
on game days is very scripted and very traditions-based. Every minute of our day is
kind of planned out.”
Rehearsal includes running through the pregame sequence and the halftime performance.
Then finally, it’s showtime.
During the game
“The adrenaline you get while you're marching down the field for the Fight Song and
everybody's talking along, like you think you can run through the wall,” Caden Roark
said. “It's just like this feeling on top of the world, and it's a certain amount
of pressure too, because you have 51,000 people staring at you.”
Allie Phillips agrees. “Once I stepped foot on the field, like the first time doing
that, it was such a surreal moment.”
Rewinding a bit, Farhan Chowdhury says he loves the experience of playing for the
student section during the pregame and helping build excitement in the stadium.
“They're just going absolutely wild. It's just awesome seeing so many students just
caring for something so big and what we represent. Honestly, it feels like we're setting
the hype and the atmosphere before the game even starts, and so that just carries
on the entire time. The stadium's just so loud.”
For Kayla Albold, looking up on the jumbotron and seeing the audience members dancing
along with the Classy Cats is one of her favorite parts of the game. “It just warms
my heart.”
After the game
After the game ends, the Marching Band members have a chance to slow down and catch
their breath … but the day isn’t over yet.
Allie Phillips likes to linger after the game, watch little kids play on the field,
and take pictures with fans. Kayla Albold’s family will come onto the field to greet
her.
Before they leave, the Marching Band members make sure to gather up their gear and
clean up any trash they find.
“One thing I cherish the most about the Marching Band is the culture,” said Farhan
Chowdhury. “And one of the things that we say a lot is ‘leave it better than you found
it.’ Everyone picks up all the trash that they see, and we typically just tear everything
down, like we didn’t even leave a trace there.”
And after away games, there’s a special tradition that Caden Roark particularly loves
— another way the K-State Marching Band goes above and beyond to boost K-State pride.
“The Vanier victory pep bands are probably one of my favorite things we do here at
K-State,” he said. “It doesn't matter if it's a 10 p.m. game or a 6 p.m. away game.
If we win, the football team comes back, they go into Vanier to drop off all their
stuff, and the band is there to greet them.”
