» By Tiffany Comer
–tcomer@my.apsu.edu
For most college students, fall means hoodies and bonfires. For band member Kacee Sanders, though, the turning of the leaves reminds her the hard work is over, and it’s now time to have fun performing at APSU football games.
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The Governors Own Marching Band is bigger than it has been in decades, with around 155 members.
“The band has definitely changed in my four years, but it has been for the better,” said senior assistant drum major Jordan Fredrick, who directs the band and keeps them on tempo.
Fredrick has gone through three band directors. Current director John Schnettler has made a huge impact in his two years with the band.
The band’s goals for the 2012-13 year are “to continue to perform at a very high level, while maintaining an atmosphere of camaraderie and school spirit,” Schnettler said.
The Governors Own band will perform at home football games, and conduct three field shows during football half times throughout the season and the Clarksville Christmas parade.
During the basketball season, they will convert to the pep band and continue to pump up the sports crowds.
Music you can expect to hear in the coming season includes themes from “The Incredibles,” “Tank,” “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy,” as well as other popular pop and rock songs.
The band is a high-energy and high-performing group. Every year, they spend the week prior to the start of classes learning their routines in the blistering heat, with the color guard participating in a two-week-long band camp.
The band also practices two days a week throughout the season.
Scholarships are awarded to all of its members. Schnettler feels extremely proud of his band members, and said, “Awesome is an understatement. The amount of positive energy they exude is contagious.”
Schnettler said he feels the band can “continue to grow, which will allow them to provide even more excitement and energy at APSU.”
