A few weeks ago, I wrote my column on what I think is one of the best student sections I have seen at Huntingdon and they continue to be just that. The game experience, however, on Friday nights is about a lot more than just those students cheering on their classmates. One aspect of Friday nights that we often do not mention is the Huntingdon High School band and the work they put in to make that game experience even better.
Ben Martin does a fantastic job leading the Marching Mustangs and I can drive by the high school on occasion and the band is always working on their practice field. They are currently in the midst of competitions on the weekends and last week did very well at USJ with a second-place finish. They are gearing up for the state competition that will be held in Henry County in the next few weeks.
Recently the band put on a huge band competition at Huntingdon and as host did not participate but it was a very well-run event and I am sure was a huge fundraiser for the band. Bands from across the state of Tennessee descended on HHS and I had the pleasure of watching some of the finals that night. When I played I never saw the bands because we as players where in the locker room discussing what went right or wrong in the first half. For Huntingdon’s event I really enjoyed watching and listening to the bands perform.
On Friday nights you can walk through the stands or behind the bleachers and a lot of fans are discussing the first half when maybe we should be supporting the band. They really work hard to put on a good show for the fans and they are pretty good at what they do. These kids work as hard as the football players and the joy of playing an instrument will always stay with them. The skills of a football player diminish in a hurry but the skill of playing an instrument will always remain.
I think the best thing for any student during the school years are to be involved in an activity. It might be football, it might be the AB Club for examples and for sure the band is an activity. These things create memories and with it comes a lot of satisfaction that you will reflect on for many years to come after the school days are gone. For more of my ramblings, check out The Beating Around the Bush Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Facebook.
