From the band to different clubs and social media accounts, Etowah’s school spirit has increased noticeably over the past two years. To make football Fridays even more exciting, Stephen Long, band director, came up with the idea to have the band perform on the mornings of home football games.  

“I wanted to find a way to have more students’ groups interact with each other. Music is always a great tool to bring people together. We don’t have many pep rallies where we can teach chants and cheers. This seemed like a great way to work that in and not miss instructional time,” Long said. 

The band members love to interact with the crowd and participate with the student body by performing their music. They take time out of their mornings to electrify students and get Eagle Mountain ready for game day. Seniors Kylie Geist and Lily Wardrip, drum majors, help coordinate these events and make sure everything runs smoothly. 

 “I love doing the spirit squad in the morning and seeing everyone at school gather in the courtyard. Everybody jams out to the music we play, and it really creates a happy vibe for the rest of the day which keeps everyone hype for the football game,” Wardrip said. 

Most importantly, the pep band gets the football players pumped for the game. They appreciate the band cheering them on and encouraging the school to come out and support them. 

 “My teammates and I think the pep band the morning of a game is one of the best ideas that has come across Etowah. We appreciate their love for our team and school very much,” Lane Cantrell, junior football player, said. 

The excitement is not only limited to football players and band members; all students at Etowah can start their Friday by getting excited for home games. 

“The pep band in the mornings starts the Friday off right and hypes everyone up for FNL. I really look forward to dressing up for the theme, dancing with my friends, and cheering on Etowah’s awesome band,” Zoey Zucker, senior, said. 

Set your alarms and make sure to be in the courtyard by 7:50 a.m. on home game days to experience Etowah’s pep band firsthand.