Pep band ignites the crowd at Homecoming game

PHOTO: The Davis High Pep Band leads the crowd in the YMCA at the Homecoming football game. (Photo Credit: Holt Klineberg)

By Noah Meyer,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

The Davis High pep band prepares heavily for football season but sees Homecoming night like any other game in the season. 

Thomas Slabaugh has been a band director for 32 years and at DHS for 11.

It takes hours upon hours to prepare for football season. There’s a week long band camp before the school year even begins. The members of the pep band have to memorize an entire curriculum worth of songs, about 30 songs. 

“We play every home game, during team warm ups, on quarter changes, a couple songs at half, and every touchdown,” Slabaugh said.

The Homecoming game is one of the biggest events of the year for DHS and a time that can cause a lot of stress. Yet, Slabaugh doesn’t see it as a concern for Pep Band. 

“Stress is something that goes away with experience,” Slabaugh said. 

Sophomore Chase McCormick, a member of the Jazz section of the pep band, agrees with Slabaugh. “(I wasn’t) nervous at all, Homecoming was lit,” McCormick said.

The Pep Band is in a constant state of controlled chaos. The members have to be able to adapt to any situation and any changes in the plan. Slabaugh drafts a script before every performance and any straying from the plan has to be ad-libbed on the spot. 

“It’s a constantly changing environment and I thought the kids did a great job (at Homecoming),” Slabaugh said.