Marching band motivates fans, players

Fans cheering. Cheerleaders shouting. Whistles blowing. These are the sounds of game day. But there is one sound that sets college football games apart, that is the college marching band.

Whether sitting at home watching the game or being a part of the crowd, the music from the band radiates through the stadium.

CU Section Leader Chris Gilson said, “We play to one side and then we turn around and play to the other and it’s the whole idea that the mascot points to one side and then the other and the crowd just get’s into this loud roar.” The role of the band is to connect the fans to the game and the players to the fans.

“College football without the band, it just wouldn’t be the same. There’s so many cues we take from the band. It’s a big tradition…. It’s what makes college football, college football,” said CU fan Lee Allaire.

These cues help lead both the players and fans towards victory on game day. Without the band, the atmosphere of game day would be entirely different.

The college marching band is not only used as a form of entertainment during games, but as a tool of motivation, to encourage the players, to excite the fans and to help move the game along.

According to CU drum major and student leader Jamie Gramm, “We choose the music based on the situation in the game, whether we are on offense or defense… and depending on what down we are on.”

“We feed off the energy of the crowd and the band,” said CU Linebacker Derrick Webb. “Music is powerful…. It’s what gets us ready to go out onto the field to play.”

Beyond being used for motivation, the music from the band creates an intimidation factor aimed at the opposing team.

“I think it’s definitely a scary thing when you’re trying to listen to play calls and you’re trying to figure out where you’re supposed to be and all you can hear is the other team chanting against you," said Georgia Fan Chelsea Lipocky.

And that chanting combined with music and crashing helmets is what creates the essence of college football game days.