Welcome to my Southern Pride webpage!! This is where I get to show and tell you about what I do for fun here at Georgia Southern--MARCHING BAND!!! We've got one of the greatest bands in the country too...we may not be as big as University of Georgia Redcoats (about 500)or some other bands, but we have more fun!! Let me give you a sneak peak about what goes on here, but let me warn ya...
Here's me at practice (at Pride Field, beside Paulson Stadium) with my trusty alto on ready to play!
When you first arrive at practice or band camp, there's a little time before you start to socialize with friends. Most of my friends are in the marching band, so I enjoy that time a lot!
Another cool thing about Southern Pride is that the directors are on your level. They marched in their college and high school years and are all about making sure that you have as much fun performing the show as they did bringing the show to life!
Every section in the band gets time to warm-up with each other before we play together as a band. This is where we practice scales and work on show music to get everything perfect!
I've been a member of Southern Pride for both of my years at Georgia Southern, so I can tell you more about what it's like being in this marching band more than anyone outside the band. It's a lot of hard work, but we have fun and 9 times out of 10 the finished product is gonna be awesome!
Chillin out before practice--(l to r)Section Leader Sam Jameson (black cap), Shelton Hall (blue cap) and Sanj Singh with Jason Hall (black coat) in the background.
The Mastermind Behind It All--Our band director, Dr. Matt Fallin, is about to get ready to call the troops to their sectionals. He's responsible for creating and plotting the imaginative forms and shapes that we make on the field.
Now that we've been working hard and practicing all year long, let's go the game!! These shots were taken at the 1-AA NCAA Championship football game in Chattanooga, TN (where we lost unfortunately). Other than putting the shows on the field, the real fun was in the stands!!
A clarinet player blows a few notes while we set up for the opening move!
Buddyfriends--My best friend Matt and me at the game. Usually, we don't wear full uniform in the stands, but for that wet, freezing day in Tennessee we made an exception! (I can't figure why I forgot to take my hat off!
Alto Players Unite!!!--The mellophone section leader, Ben Smart, and I get together for a pic at the last game of the year. He's a (yuck!) Manchester United fan and we chat about English soccer sometimes.
So after two quarters of play from the football teams and playing some random tunes in the stands, we're finally ready to show the fans what we've been working so hard to do. I wish I had pics of our halftime show, but I do have a pic of the pregame show--first order of our football games!
You're on Carlyn's Camera!!--Sanj poses for a pic in the stands before the game. Our football team is in the background getting ready for the game. I wonder who Matt's looking at though....hmm...
The Famous GSU Scramble--This part of our pregame show is now one of the new traditions at Paulson Stadium. I'm on the second line of the "S" three people from the right. (This pic was taken last year during my first year in the band. Since then our number has increased from about 180 to about 240 people)