The Sound of Standley Lake

Marching Band brings back Homecoming spirit and traditions since COVID-19 took over.

Standley Lake Marching Band is a key component to school spirit, as they spend hours on end practicing to create a lively and electrifying environment at sporting events and assemblies. Football games and other athletic events would not be the same without the music from the band department. Marching Band performs at every half-time during the Homecoming Game, but with a year-long break in Homecoming performances, COVID-19 has seemed to change the norm for the music program.

With mask mandates and distancing requirements, the band was forced to adapt to different practicing environments with the ever changing disease. Sean Machett ‘23 explains the concerns, excitements, and frustrations of the band’s return from Covid restrictions.

“Over the course of this year, it's not that bad since our season started once everyone was able to get vaccinated, so our summer rehearsals were pretty much normal, it got a little different this year, last year however was crazy cause, without aerosol studies we didn’t know if we were able to move and play. So we just stood still and played the same 3 tunes over and over again and it was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced… and the only time I’ve ever considered quitting,” says Sean Machett ‘23.

Another challenge the band has seemed to face is the upcoming changes and new expectations for newer band members for this year's Homecoming.

Matchett ‘23 says, “I don’t really think [freshmen & sophomores] have a huge idea of what it's supposed to look like, um, as a freshman all the other grades had a consistent marching band that got better and better, and I just stepped into that. The freshmen this year are coming into something completely cut off, the only thing I’m able to tell the freshman is what my freshmen year was like.”

Expectations based on experience isn’t the standard for band this year, as Juniors and Seniors tell underclassmen their personal past with the band so a new environment can be made for approaching years.

Standley Lake’s band prides themselves on being the sound of the school; marching through the hallways and booming anthems at assemblies and games. But performing in the past year has created foreign nerves for the Marching Band.

“I can tell that with other people there's a certain nervous aspect, they are very shy to showcase what they're capable of and what they do, it shows in how we play the music, how loud we are, how much we establish ourselves,” says Matchett.

The sound of the school had been dimmed but not extinguished. Led by director Chrissy Duran and Drum Majors Livie Fowler ‘22 and Max Hagen ‘22, the Gator Marching Band has remained a persisting sound through the pandemic.

Marching band has undeniably risen above the challenges that COVID-19 has brung and has helped give back Homecoming traditions to Standley Lake High School. They still remain the sound of our school, even after a year of mandates and requirements revolving around the virus.

Bridget Ronning | Bella Tucker-Sandoval | Tayler Sweeney | Josiah Wickes |