The Soundtrack of a Championship Season at KSU (ft. The Marching Owls)
That was like my, I took history this semester for the first time since high school because as a science major, like, only have to take one, you know, like to satisfy the Georgia history credit or whatever. So I took, what was it, history eleven, twelve.
Tyler:Okay.
Heidi:And we had a project that was like, oh, write about historical figure. And I was like,
Tyler:Who did you pick?
Heidi:Well, at first I thought it had to strictly be from American history and I was like, I mean American history is fine but it's not like something I'm super passionate about. But then he said from any era and I was like perfect world history. So I did Akhenaten from ancient Egypt.
Tyler:I don't know who that is.
Heidi:He's the most controversial historical
Tyler:What did he do?
Heidi:Well, so ancient Egypt, they believed in polytheism, multiple And then he was the first to kind of be like, well, let's just believe in one god. Let's switch to a monotheistic religion. That upset a lot of ancient Egypt. And they kind of called him like the heretic king because he basically rose to power as the pharaoh and was like, well, let's just have there be one god and he is me.
Tyler:And, oh, okay. Yeah. Well, maybe I was like, I guess that was the controversial part that he wanted to be god.
Heidi:Yeah. Pretty much. And that's why as soon as he died, like people just wiped him from history and we didn't really know about him until fairly recently because it's rumored that he is actually King Tut's dad.
Tyler:Oh. I know who King Tut is. Yeah. I do know that.
Heidi:Yes.
Tyler:My I actually I actually really like that, like that area of history. I don't like world history a ton, I'm gonna be honest.
Heidi:You don't?
Tyler:But that like Egyptian history, Roman history, I like that a lot. Yeah. But American history, that's kind of my that's my bread and butter.
Heidi:Okay, so that's your
Tyler:I really like history, though.
Heidi:Okay, I like history, too. Yeah,
Tyler:that's good. Do you seem like you seem what is the subject you don't like? You seem like a very book smart person.
Heidi:This subject I don't like.
Tyler:Lunch. I don't know.
Heidi:No, I love lunch. Okay.
Tyler:That's good.
Heidi:I guess well, okay. Are we talking about, like, college or, like, going through high
Tyler:school? College. Oh, you could say high school. Well, like, high school. What did you what did you hate?
Heidi:In high school, I hated gym. I just hated, like, being sweaty for the rest of the day. That's so funny. You're like
Tyler:a polar opposite of, like, some people. Yeah. Some people would be like, oh, I only liked PE.
Heidi:Yeah. Well, mean, tying that back to, like, kinda marching band. I was a kid, my parents put me in every sport possible. I think I've done every single sport except for field what did I say? Field hockey and I think, like, actual ice hockey.
Heidi:So any kind of, like, hockey. I did, like
Tyler:Oh, yeah.
Heidi:Lacrosse, soccer. Oh, my gosh. I did everything. You do rugby? Or I guess not rugby.
Heidi:No. That's more of a male dominated sport, though, I feel.
Tyler:I don't know. Have we have
Heidi:Flag football, though. That's
Tyler:Flag football. Okay. Did you do, like, oh, I wish I to be I wish I was I wish I could have played women's flag football in high school.
Heidi:I Because
Tyler:they get to you did?
Heidi:I did. Yes.
Tyler:You get to go to like the championship game or anything like that?
Heidi:No, it was like a silly kind of like.
Tyler:Oh.
Heidi:Oh, like get with your I guess it wasn't just females. It was like, oh, get with your clubs.
Tyler:Clubs, coed.
Heidi:So I was with the band. Oh, So like the they put the band, like flag football team against the football flag football team, and we got demolished.
Tyler:Yep. No kidding. Yeah.
Heidi:What? Yeah. So I just sucked at sports, like, my whole life. I really wanted to be good.
Tyler:Mhmm.
Heidi:But I just athleticism is not in my veins, I guess. So when I joined band and when I did marching band my freshman year of high school, I was like, okay, this is it. This what I should be doing instead of trying to be good at sports. I'm just, I thrive in marching band, which oh, I sound like such a band nerd, but
Tyler:Well, I guess to introduce then, welcome everybody to Creators Duo podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Watson. We're here at Owl Radio, and we have Heidi Woods with the KC Marching Owls. Give a little give a little round of applause. Welcome.
Tyler:Thank
Heidi:you. Thank you for having me.
Tyler:We always do a slow start. I didn't tell you that, but you you picked up on that. So you're in the marching band and you guys just had the conference championship game.
Heidi:Yes.
Tyler:How was that?
Heidi:Probably top three moments of my life thus far. Of thus far? Really? Okay.
Tyler:What are the other two top moments?
Heidi:Oh, gosh. I haven't thought about that. Maybe, no, maybe the top moment of my look Okay, thus far,
Tyler:good. It better have been.
Heidi:Yeah, no, it was great because we were up most the game. Then, of course, there in the fourth quarter, had a couple points on us, and I just kept thinking in the back of my head, like, need to get a touchdown right here. Like, we need to do something. Then once we got up on them, I mean, it was just a lot of screaming and a lot of like adrenaline, a lot of like, okay, this is what we've worked for. I know we have that kind of motto now of like the hashtag see us for like the entire football team and even the band program because we're such a new program.
Heidi:Exciting to see how much we've grown in ten years.
Tyler:Yeah. I mean, like, I know, like, I've been like, well, I've been keeping I keep up with the football team a lot. My brother is Banana Boy. You've probably met my brother, actually. Who?
Tyler:Andrew? Andrew Watson?
Heidi:Sounds familiar. Sure I've seen him.
Tyler:You've definitely seen him.
Heidi:I've definitely seen him.
Tyler:But, the, you know, I've kept up with them and last season, you know, was was miserable. It was so sad. I mean, I was at the Liberty game. Were you at
Heidi:the Liberty Yes. Yes, was. I was in the band.
Tyler:That was a great moment. That was
Heidi:a great moment.
Tyler:But last season it was like you were happy that you got two wins. Yeah. And, you know, I was thinking like for next season it was going to be like, oh, like maybe we'll get three wins.
Heidi:Yeah.
Tyler:Maybe we'll finish like, okay. And we actually ended up being the best team in the entire conference.
Heidi:In the conference. Yeah. There was a lot of hope going into this season already of like, okay, well, we have a new coach. I mean, to start off the season, we're going to Wake Forest. Like, that's pretty exciting.
Heidi:That's like a known school.
Tyler:I almost won that game.
Heidi:And I know. And it was so close. What was it? Ten, nine or what? We lost.
Heidi:Yeah, it was like 10. It was like very, very close. That will kind of set in a little of like, oh, okay, we're starting off with a loss. But even though it was a close loss, it's like a
Tyler:It was like, okay, we kind of thought this might happen.
Heidi:Yeah. Here we go. You know, starting off the trend of last season again. And then, I mean, going from there was just all uphill, except for Indiana. But they're also number one right now.
Heidi:So I think that that's really impressive that we went against the number one spot.
Tyler:We kind of have like the best losses in the country. Yeah. Case you to the playoffs. They missed. They they missed out on that one.
Heidi:They did. They did.
Tyler:If you had told me if Casey had gone to the playoffs, that would have been a that would have been an awesome moment for you guys. Yeah. So like for you guys, like, okay, tell us about last season, how that was because like, it feels like a crazy like culture shift in case you sports like from last fall to this fall. Because I know I'd go to a lot of the games and there wouldn't be like, you know, no one there I guess, but it wasn't a ton of people a lot of the games last season because we we respectively we weren't very good.
Heidi:Yeah.
Tyler:But then all of a sudden this season it felt like it changed. Like how was that from, you know, from being a Marchman last season to now? Like how has that changed for you guys?
Heidi:The change for us, I feel like we've gotten a lot more recognition as well, like, as the band. Like, I think there's kind of that realization of we bring that level of spirit. You know, the band does bring that level of spirit. And comparing it to last year, well, definitely the stands. Like, the stands last year were quite barren, which was kind of sad, but we did, again, have kind of a losing streak last season.
Heidi:So coming into this season and winning all of our home games, I think that also brought a level of spirit, and then that spirit again reflected onto the band. Like, we were a lot more energetic, we were a lot more passionate, we were a lot more into the stand and cheering on our team. And I think that that overall just overwhelming amount of, I know I keep saying it, but I mean, the school spirit like that really comes to light in our stadium. And over spring break, I or spring break over Thanksgiving break,
Tyler:I
Heidi:did go to the Liberty game. I drove up and that was a great game. And it kind of, like, instilled that in me where KSU is so unique in the way that we have a really good fan base. We have a lot of people that are passionate about our young program, even through, you know, after a losing season coming into a winning season, like, feel like that amount of pride has never gone away, that school pride, because even the fans that were at Liberty, like, they made themselves known to have, like, cheering for the team. And then I went to UVA to the UVA, UVA Virginia Tech game literally an hour later after the Liberty game.
Heidi:And there was so much more people at that game, but in a way it still didn't feel as school spirited and like the people weren't as into the football as they are at KSU games. So I thought that that was a really cool kind of comparison there. Yeah, I kind of agree.
Ya ya:It's like I, you know
Tyler:I didn't obviously KSU doesn't really had a football team very long. Mhmm. It's only been I think ten years or something like that.
Heidi:Yeah.
Tyler:So it's like you know, I've I've cheered for I've cheered for other teams before then and like you know, it's cool coming here and like having that team where it's so fresh and new. Like to say for pretty much any other school that you were at their first ever bowl game, conference championship game, whatever, is pretty would be crazy to say. Like if you said you were at Alabama's first ever bowl game, that'd be crazy. Because that's like nine, that's like 1920. Yeah.
Tyler:But it to say that with KSU, it's like, woah, I'm like at the I'm at the beginning of a of a legacy here.
Heidi:Exactly. And that's what's really exciting. And again, I think that's what brings a lot of like momentum in people, especially in the band of like, okay, we need to keep pushing forward and like striving to, you know, do better in this season to reflect on future seasons and stuff like that.
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Tyler:Well, you guys, like, you guys have, like you guys are massive. Like, y'all's group is massive. There are so many people. Mhmm. The one thing I noted is the Wake Forest game.
Tyler:The Case You band like, swapped the size of the Wake Forest band. And that was a travel game.
Heidi:That was a travel game. We only brought like half of our
Tyler:Only half. Yeah, crazy. So like, what is the environment of band like to you? Like, how many what's the friendships you've made? Like, what is being in band at KSU like?
Heidi:Well, coming into, I mean, a new university, like you're graduating high school, you it's KSU, so it's kind of like closer, so to say. So a lot you do have a lot of friends coming in that did go to your high school. But overall, like it's a very new environment and you're around thousands of new people.
Tyler:Right.
Heidi:And kind of, you know, lost, so to say, figuring it out. Then coming into my freshman year at KSU and going into the band gives you, I mean, just 300 new friends, you know, or like the potential to meet 300 brand new people. It's really exciting, and the culture of the band has always been very positive. This was my third season in the band, and overall, everyone's just very welcoming. Everyone's very kind.
Heidi:You're always going to find your people
Tyler:in
Heidi:the band. Not just based off, like, oh, your individual likes and such, but we all have the common thing of band to connect And back we all go to band every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday for rehearsal. That's a lot. Yeah, Saturdays and some weekday games. We can all just come together and do what we're all passionate about.
Tyler:And, you know, it's definitely important going into college because I know like a lot of people go in and they think they're just going to be whether they're going to carry over their high school experience. You come to college like, oh, mean business. I mean, at KSU, which is not a necessarily super competitive university, you still, you know, people are still here on business, you know what I mean? There's like, I'm trying to get my classes to get out.
Heidi:Yeah.
Tyler:So to be able to find a group of people that you feel like you can be friends and stuff, think it's like really important. It makes your it makes your experience like way different.
Heidi:Yeah, definitely.
Tyler:So and you guys have had like a really crazy like you've experienced a lot this semester because you guys have traveled to a lot of games. I think you're one of the first power five games that they've even played probably. I mean not they played ones before, but I mean you guys traveled to Wake Forest. Yeah. You guys didn't go to Indiana, right?
Heidi:We didn't, no.
Tyler:But you guys went to Jacksonville State. Did you go twice or just?
Heidi:We went twice. We went to play them, in the regular season and then we played them for the conference championship game. The second one ended much better than the first, I'd So
Tyler:let's walk through your trips.
Heidi:You went to Wake Forest. How was this? Traveling to Wake Forest, I mean, it was something that, yeah, the band had never done before. We never traveled six hours on a bus to go. Yeah.
Heidi:Didn't mind it. I love road trips. And I think a lot of people, even if they didn't like road trips, didn't mind it because again, was such an exciting, like, new thing for our program to experience.
Tyler:And you're on
Heidi:a bus.
Tyler:You're not driving yourself.
Heidi:Yeah. Yeah. And then we got food. So thank you, university, for
Tyler:What did they get you?
Heidi:Giving us the funds to get food. We got Domino's, I believe. We got some kind of pizza that we were able to share a whole pizza with our bus buddy on the drive back. Was great. Was great.
Heidi:Bandkids love food. Band love food. Band kids love food. So thank you to the university.
Tyler:And what was Wake Forest like? Did you like, you know, was it like this really small town? Was the stadium nice? Stuff like that?
Heidi:The stadium was huge, which I think, yeah, as we were going into the stadium to warm up with their band, like in prep for the halftime performance that we did alongside them, a lot of reaction from many members in the band was, this a very big, very nice stadium. Right, right. Not trying to put down what is it called now? Walden's Field?
Tyler:Yeah, or
Heidi:they changed it to third. I don't know. But I mean, our stadium is quite small. Not ideal for a marching show. That's something you wouldn't think about.
Heidi:But I guess to us band kids like that, some not an ideal stadium. Like, we like to have high seats because then you're able to see like all the designs that we're making with our drill and stuff. I think we were kind of looking at the Wake Forest Field as like, this is nice. We should have something like this. My Demolish town center and
Tyler:Demolish.
Heidi:Turn it into a stadium. We should go ahead and do that. But overall, the experience was good. They packed us up into a teeny tiny top corner of their stadium, but it was fine. The sunset was beautiful.
Tyler:Oh, really?
Heidi:And yeah, again, overall, think it was just an overwhelming sense of like, wow, the things that we've done and worked for in the last, I guess, previous to ten years, you know, of the seasons, the first ten seasons have led us to being able to the university paying for a little pep band, a little pep band, know, bigger than Wigglers Yeah, I think they
Tyler:went from having a FCS football team in a very small stadium and probably not any sort of crazy attendance. I mean, mean very fresh. All the way to where we're traveling to other cities, other universities, you know, even though stadium is still small, people still show up. Yeah. And they've and most of the time they fill stadium.
Heidi:But we have like four or five sold out games this or were all of our home games sold out? Think.
Tyler:I feel like they've got it. If they weren't all sold out, they were close. Yeah. I mean, it's like, you know, the capacity of the stadium is pretty small because I mean, think of it. There's 40,000 students at KSU and this thing, the stadium only holds like 10,000 or something.
Tyler:Yeah. So it's like, should be pretty easy to fill it To
Heidi:fill it out, yeah.
Tyler:But and what what is your day like when you get so like, you know, you take the bus, did you guys get to Wake Forest like on the day that you guys were going to perform? Yes. So walk us through your day by day. You get on the bus, you drive to Wake Forest.
Heidi:What
Tyler:then?
Heidi:Once we unloaded at Wake Forest, we went straight to the stadium. Well, got changed. We changed into our brand new uniforms that we just got They this they're so nice. So nice. We got changed into our uniforms, and then we walked down.
Heidi:We performed for the, like, alumni tailgate that they had there. We played just a couple of stand tunes like big ball and swag, you know, war. They love war. That's a good one. And then we went into the stadium.
Heidi:We warmed up. We saw kind of where we were going to be seated. Just a lot of kind of acclimating, like, to the environment and stuff. We do that at any away game. Well, I guess this one was different than when we went to JSU.
Heidi:This one, we were allowed to, like, go into the field and warm up there and kind of
Tyler:Right.
Heidi:Again, acclimated to the environment. With the other travel games that we've done, I guess there's the JSU, you kind of just get off the bus, get in uniform, get your instruments out, and then just go into the stands and just start diving into Stan Tunes.
Tyler:Yeah. Yeah. So. And that's kinda gotta be like, I didn't think about this at first, but I mean you guys go to Wake Forest and like there's freshmen
Heidi:Mhmm.
Tyler:In this group. So like, were they kinda nervous? Because I mean they're probably going from other high school maybe when they did high school marching band, now they're going to this big stadium, Wake Forest. Which isn't even like the biggest stadium we go to. Mean, yeah, maybe y'all gone to Indiana.
Tyler:It's like wait, you know. So like, you know, were there a lot of people kind of like freaked out, like nervous, I guess?
Heidi:I don't think any of us were nervous unless maybe they they hit it very well. I think there was an overall sense of optimism of like, wow, this is great. I think the freshmen maybe didn't get the sense of like, this is a brand new thing for us. Like, they're kind of lucky in the sense where they get to come in to a season where we're doing so well. Where, again, all of bricks that we've built in the last seasons have led to this moment.
Heidi:But again, as this being my third season, I can see the strides that we've made in the past and how they're kind of coming to life.
Tyler:Right.
Heidi:So that was exciting.
Tyler:Well, let's dive more into now like, what's it like? How do you get what's your what's your experience? Start more into you. What's your experience with marching band? Did you do marching band in high school?
Heidi:Yes, I did marching band all four years of high
Tyler:Okay. And what was your role in high school?
Heidi:So I played the clarinet my freshman and my sophomore year. I was in Virginia in high school my freshman year and then COVID happened. So then we moved to Georgia and then I stayed at Georgia High School, River Ridge High School for sophomore, junior, senior year. So moving to Georgia my sophomore year, I was a clarinet and then I tried out for drum major and I was the lead drum major my junior and senior year
Tyler:of high Now you're drum major for Marching Owls?
Heidi:Yes.
Tyler:Are you lead drum major for the Owls or?
Heidi:No. This year it was Ryan because he's the senior.
Tyler:Okay. You getting is So the torch being passed to you?
Heidi:I think the torch is being passed to me and my colleague Savannah. She we're both going into our senior year and now we've both had a year of experience. I feel like we'll kind of trade off with that.
Tyler:That'll be a good send off. Hopefully next year is as good as this year.
Heidi:Yes, I really hope. Because the seniors this year got a really, a really good senior I
Tyler:feel bad for the seniors last year.
Heidi:Yeah. Oh, me too.
Ya ya:Besides the Liberty game.
Heidi:Yes, the Liberty
Tyler:I like I tell people all the time, I was like this. I literally, I remember going, I wasn't gonna go and then somebody convinced me to go because they didn't want to go by themselves. And then my friend canceled, so we got this random person and we're thinking we're gonna get blown out. Like we're just gonna get the brake speed off of us, right? It's gonna be terrible.
Tyler:And then all of a sudden we're all on the field. It was crazy. Yeah. Did the band get to go on the field that game?
Heidi:No.
Tyler:No. Dang. Yeah. We were down there though.
Heidi:You were?
Ya ya:We rushed it twice. Do you remember that?
Heidi:Yeah. Because then you had to go back because they were like, No, no, this the game isn't over yet.
Tyler:Yeah. Some dude like security guard dude was like low key by to come truck me. Like he saw me and he was like, You gotta go back. And I was like, Okay. But yeah, that was a really that was a really cool moment.
Tyler:Glad we've had moments like that.
Heidi:Right. Like, telling the season one football team that in ten years, you're gonna have people storming the field at a KSU game. Probably be like, what?
Tyler:Right.
Heidi:But it happened.
Tyler:I really wanted to take I wanted to take something. Like, hope Casey doesn't shame me for this. Not anything crazy. I wasn't gonna take the other team stuff. Mhmm.
Tyler:But I saw the pylons. I was like, what if I took a pylon? What would they do with one missing pylon? They probably have plenty.
Heidi:Yeah, I was gonna say, or they could just order.
Tyler:Just order another one. Yeah. It's got like $30. Yeah. I was gonna take down the fuel post, but they were all over that.
Tyler:They were all over that. Oh, my gosh. I was like, was a ton of frat guys there too. I'm like man we we should have gotten together and planned that but we didn't. Nobody knew it was gonna happen.
Heidi:I was gonna say yeah nobody knew that we were gonna upset. I mean because they were number one. I mean well I think they still ended.
Tyler:Hope next season we have a ranked team come in and we have the opportunity.
Heidi:Well, season we're already playing Tennessee and Arkansas State.
Tyler:We are. Yeah, that's gonna it's gonna be tough. It's gonna be tough. I mean, I think Tennessee also plays Georgia Tech, they'll have a lot of we playing a lot of Georgia teams.
Heidi:Georgia influence.
Tyler:I think all three major Georgia teams besides State and Southern. Have you, I think we play Georgia. Do we play Georgia State next season?
Heidi:Yes, we do.
Tyler:Are you excited for that game?
Heidi:I am excited. Yes, we play our first two games are what West Georgia and Georgia State.
Tyler:So that's another I like these more. I like these local matchups more. Like, you know, I think it's cool playing Liberty. I like that one more just because of what we did to them last Yeah, it's kind of like, oh, you know, we kind of like little brother them, you know? Yeah.
Tyler:But I think also like with seems like Georgia State because they're so close and they're also very, very similar school wise. Same with West Georgia. I didn't even know they had a football team. I'm gonna be honest.
Heidi:I knew that they had a football team only because I know that they have a good band program. But so I'm intrigued to see if these yeah, like local schools are going to bring their band as well.
Tyler:Do you think that the case you band is, like, superior?
Heidi:Well, yes. Yes, of course. I don't want to say that I'm biased because it is true, but I guess I am biased. But yes,
Tyler:we're I mean, facts don't lie.
Heidi:Yeah, facts don't lie.
Tyler:True. Yes.
Heidi:Right. Results don't lie.
Ya ya:I mean it's kind of like it really it's really impressive how how like, you know, it's kind of like Yeah I've
Tyler:heard other people be like, Oh I wish we kind of had like a more like because you know the environment isn't is it fully like a like you know your big college football game at KCU? No, it's not. You know, we have smaller stadium, maybe there's not as many people there, but it's like the band, the band is like you take most college stadium, like college marching bands and it's like double their size. Yeah. I mean, there was a lot, a lot of like, budget to the band, which is really good, know, because we have this really large program, you know.
Tyler:Yeah. And a nice program at that, I would say.
Heidi:Thank you. Yes, I agree.
Tyler:You're like, yes, I contributed. What was it has has this year been your favorite year than a marching band, I would assume?
Heidi:Yes. Yeah, definitely.
Tyler:And what was your favorite moment? Like if you're like if you're saying this is like the favorite game, the favorite moment of one of the games that I was at. Mhmm. What was that for you?
Heidi:That was the JSU championship realizing that like, oh my gosh, we we just did this. We were last or yeah, last season. And now coming into being the conference champion, it's just so rewarding, like, to think about that.
Tyler:How was that finding out that you were gonna go? Because obviously at that Liberty game and for a second there it was gonna be like, I think we we actually were gonna go regardless if we won that game pretty sure. But how was it knowing, out that you're going to go that week beforehand? Because it was a short week too, it was a Friday. So how is that finding out that you were going to go?
Tyler:How is that getting everybody together in the marching band to actually go? Because I'm sure you guys were thinking you might go, but probably after the Jacksonville State loss, you're probably thinking, well, it's probably too late now. Yeah. So what was that like finding out that you were going to go and how are you how did you guys prepare for that?
Heidi:Well, I will say that when it was kind of up in the air on whether we were going to go or not, kind of depending it was instead of more depending on our game against Liberty, it was more dependent on JSU versus Western Kentucky and who won that. So we were kind of rooting for Western Kentucky just because we did not want to go back to JSU. But you know when we got that notification at the Liberty game actually that JSU had beaten Western Kentucky we're like okay well now at least we're definitely in it. That's very exciting but we're going back to JSU. And their fan base, fan base is terrible.
Heidi:So toxic.
Tyler:Located in Alabama.
Heidi:Yelling at the band and like cursing That's on the why we didn't want to go back.
Tyler:Oh, they were really rude to you guys?
Heidi:Very. Yeah.
Tyler:That sounds pretty on par. JsU Sounds just salty, man.
Heidi:Sounds pretty JSU. So we went back and I feel like we had, you know, of course there were some people that as we were going back, they're like, we're just going to lose this one. Like I had kind of gone around like asking people, Oh, what are your score predictions?
Tyler:And
Heidi:everyone except for me and the other drum major, Ryan, said that JSU was going to win.
Tyler:Oh, you didn't even pick the Owls.
Heidi:No, I did. I said everyone else picked that JSU was going to And me and Ryan picked KSU because hooty hoo, obviously.
Tyler:Course you have
Heidi:to pick it. And so a lot of people went into that game, again, being excited, but then there was that general kind of feeling of, uh-oh. Like, if we lose to JSU here in the championship game at JSU, mind you, like But then we won, so we didn't have to worry about that.
Tyler:I guess that that was one of those things where like Yeah. I I feel like we had a really tough loss to JSU. And we were riding a high. Mhmm. Because we would like We had lost the two first games and then we had lost or we'd won every single one up until that point.
Heidi:Mhmm.
Tyler:Then we kinda got like revenge. Mhmm. Like that was kind of that was a really cool moment Yeah. For the team. And I think yeah.
Tyler:I don't think that really just shocked me that the fans were like that.
Heidi:Mhmm. Well, it goes back to the concept of like a lot of people underestimate us.
Tyler:Yeah.
Heidi:I mean, the football team, but also the band. Like, they're like, oh, who's this KSU band coming in here and taking up, you know, all 370 seats. They sat us kind of in like the the back corner of their home side, and we outplayed them.
Tyler:Honestly, one could argue that we're more relevant because I think I think Jacksonville State only has like a student, like, size of, like, 10,000 or something.
Heidi:Yeah. Well, they do have a huge band. They have, like, 500 people in their band.
Tyler:Oh, really? Wait. How many are
Heidi:in our band? Three seventy.
Tyler:Three seventy. Three seventy. Yep. It feels like it'd be way more. I would have said, like, a thousand.
Tyler:Yeah. But that maybe that's a really bad guess.
Heidi:I mean, you're up a thousand.
Tyler:I don't know. Like 500 feels like a lot, but it just it just looks like a lot of people.
Heidi:Yeah. Yeah. It does look like a lot of people too. Like, especially when I'm up there, like in front of the stands, I'm like, wow. This is a lot of people.
Tyler:Do you ever do you are you like the are you well known in the band?
Heidi:Yeah. I hope so. I stand up and conduct in front of them every rehearsal. So
Tyler:So they're they're like, ever does everybody fear Heidi?
Heidi:No. Well, I hope not. I hope not. I try to seem very approachable and personable.
Tyler:Leave in the comment section if you're terrified of Okay. No. I mean, like, it's like do you do you are you having to kind of lift up some of the people in your group? Like, are you ever do people do people look up to you, I guess, I would say?
Heidi:I guess that's kind of a not a scary thought, but definitely a thought that I do have because in the past when I was a clarinet, like throughout high school and college, I mean, I would always look up to my drum majors.
Tyler:Mhmm.
Heidi:So I hope that I can be that kind of inspiration for Right. People in the band, especially if they wanna go for a drum major in their future in the program.
Tyler:Right. Right. I mean, it you're kinda like you've you've ascended into the role of, like, a leadership type role. That's kinda what it sounds like to me.
Heidi:Yeah. Because a drum major is, one of the leadership roles of the program. Yes.
Tyler:And, you guys have, how does like the kind of like, like the, I guess, teachers, like the more like KSU, like, actual, like, adults, I wanna say. But even though we're all adults Mhmm. But you know what I'm saying? Like, who who leads the group, I guess? Do you guys have one kind of, like, band leader?
Tyler:Or how does that kind of work?
Heidi:Yes. Well, the director of bands, Doctor. Meeks, like he
Tyler:Okay.
Heidi:He is the the forefront of the band. Like, he'll lead us through kind of music rehearsal and stuff, and he has more of a musical put of it. But as soon as we're putting music on the field and like rehearsing, that's the drum major's job to Okay. Conduct and lead the band also through warm ups and lead them through the music. And Mhmm.
Heidi:So that's our role.
Tyler:But the director kinda, like, strings you all together, gives you, like, a system.
Heidi:Yes. Right.
Tyler:Mhmm. And I I know band is very competitive. Mhmm. Like, it's very, like because, you know, if you you say, oh, I'm gonna miss today, they've already got somebody, like, fill in your spot. Mhmm.
Tyler:So what is that like? You know? Or do you ever feel like you had to be at, like, every single one to keep your spot?
Heidi:Well, yes. Going back to the culture of the band is very good. Like, it's very positive. Like, it's very welcoming, very friendly, but there is and will always be that sense of competition, I mean, in any band setting. But especially if you're in a high leadership position, like, it's important to know that, okay, I worked hard for this position.
Heidi:You know, some people or a lot of people might have their own personal opinions on how you can do better. But at the end of the day, like, you need to have that comp like, personal confidence of, okay. I know what I'm doing Right. In that way. I feel like competition in band is also maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but also can kinda be healthy in a way.
Tyler:So
Heidi:yeah. Like, the kind of healthy competition of, like, you need to work hard for what you want. And going back to doctor Meeks, like, yeah, he gives he directs the band a lot and takes a lot of that leadership, but he also wants his leadership to take a lot of that initiative. And I respect that a lot. Kinda giving us our independence, like, okay.
Heidi:This is what I expect from you guys. Now go and do it. And I feel like that level of, you know, leadership is important to have. It's teaching us life skills as well. Like, especially as a non music major, like, these kind of lessons and things that I'm learning throughout holding a leadership position, especially in a almost 400 person group, are things that I can carry with me, like, throughout the rest of my life and career.
Tyler:It's a very, like, a it is healthy competition, I would say. Because I feel like it's what's gonna make the band good. Yeah. If everybody can just sit back and think, well, I don't have to try, then the band's probably not gonna be super good because everybody Yeah. Doesn't really But the fact that there's competition, you know, it's healthy competition.
Tyler:Can I get a time check? Valena. Seven. Thirty seven? Yeah.
Tyler:Okay. So we're almost there. We're almost at the has it gone by fast so far?
Heidi:Very fast. Yeah.
Tyler:Yeah. It's like once you it's like the only times it doesn't go by fast is if I get somebody who doesn't have a passionate thing that they're talking about. Mhmm. And that's where it gets really awkward and I'm like I don't you know it's like I can I can talk to somebody for a while but it's like sometimes it like kinda I don't know? It's hard to talk to somebody about something that they're not passionate about I guess.
Heidi:Yeah.
Ya ya:So, I guess to kind of
Tyler:finish this out, let's kind of look more towards the future instead of the past. So, you're going into your kind of like where I said before, you're going into your final fall semester. Well you're you know, we're in the spring now, but you'll be going into your final fall semester at KSU. What are your hopes? What's the new role you're going to and, what have you what do you hope to get out of, I guess, the rest of it, I guess?
Tyler:What do you hope your future looks like, I guess?
Heidi:Yeah. So going into my final season with the Marching Owls, I mean, it's kinda kinda hard to say. You know what I mean? Like, my last eight years have been marching band. You know?
Heidi:Marching, marching band, marching band. Now I'm going on to, like, a postgraduate degree, so I don't know if I'm gonna be able to continue doing marching band at whatever school I go to. So I'm really just gonna cherish this last season almost. And going into this next season, I think all of us are with a lot of hope. Again, highlighting the the past a little bit of, like, all these things, again, all these bricks that we have laid to kind build up to this.
Heidi:We have a lot of projects that we're doing, more places that we're going to, hopefully a lot more traveling. Just a bright future for this program, both the football and the band, and I'm excited to see where that leads even after I graduate and all the people in this band, even the freshmen, once they graduate, like I'm really excited to see where this program is in another ten years.
Tyler:Yeah. You guys still watch KSU football?
Heidi:Yes. Yes. Who do you know forever?
Tyler:Hopefully we'll see you guys performing in the national championship in
Heidi:Yes. This Yeah, in ten years. That's where we'll be.
Tyler:I'm saying next season. I'm saying it's happening.
Heidi:Next season?
Tyler:That's my that's my that's my prediction for next season. KC, the national title.
Heidi:Wow. Well.
Tyler:Hey, we could be like have you have you followed, like, the playoffs this year?
Heidi:Oh, not really.
Tyler:You know do you know who James Madison is? You know
Heidi:they're in it? JMU?
Tyler:Yeah. JMU.
Heidi:Yeah. Well, I'm from Virginia, so a lot of my friends go there.
Tyler:Oh, okay. So they're like I love this. You should check out their, their twix, their Twitter X whatever it is. I said twix. It's a combination.
Tyler:But you should check out their account because they've been trash talking Oregon a lot. That can be us next season.
Heidi:That should be us.
Tyler:That can be us. I have faith in Jerry Mack. I have total faith.
Heidi:Yes and now we signed him for what six years? Yeah. That's that's so great.
Tyler:It is good. It is good. I think having good leaders in the program, like you already said that, but having good leaders is really good. Because it seems like we have a really good band director, see I would say.
Heidi:Yes.
Tyler:Unless somebody tells you differently, but it seems like it.
Ya ya:And we have a really
Tyler:good head coach, athletic directors clearly making good decisions. There's a lot going well for Casey. A lot going well. Only thing we need to fix is the parking. Oh my gosh.
Heidi:The parking. Yes. Opening back up the, what the Asian section of the commons? Like where is it? Oh yeah!
Heidi:That was the best part!
Tyler:The commons, the commons is good. Okay, this is, I don't wanna like, I don't like to diss on different things at KSU, because I'm always like, What if I interview somebody from that at some point? And then I've gotta confront that in real time. However, I went to the Commons freshman year, was like, this is pretty good. And they're actually ranked top in the nation or something.
Tyler:And then the season, it's the pizza. The pizza isn't it's not as good as it was.
Heidi:Okay.
Tyler:A couple semesters ago, you know what I mean?
Heidi:I don't like pizza. You don't like
Tyler:in general?
Heidi:No. Wow. Yeah, that's my unpopular opinion.
Tyler:That is your unpopular opinion. Yeah. Have you had like have you been in New York?
Heidi:Yeah. My brother lived in New York.
Tyler:Have you had like an authentic New York slice pizza?
Heidi:I mean, it's it's good. Like, I'll eat pizza, like, if the band orders it, you know, on the way back from a
Tyler:Okay.
Heidi:A game. Like, I'll absolutely devour it because I'm hungry after a game, of course. But, like, if you were ever to be like, where do you want to go to eat? I will probably never say pizza.
Tyler:What about a hot dog?
Heidi:Oh, love hot dogs.
Ya ya:Really?
Heidi:I love
Tyler:hot dogs. That's so crazy. That's where we're so opposite. I do not like hot dogs, but if you give me a hot dog, I'll eat it. Wow.
Tyler:There you go. And that's where we end it. On food. Perfect. If you could okay, last final last question.
Tyler:If you could have them bring in one food to have every day at the Commons and it can be as crazy as you want it to be, what are you asking for?
Heidi:Does that have to be specifically at the Commons or just any food like?
Tyler:Oh, yeah. I mean, you're like, you're saying Commons, have to start making this now.
Heidi:Oh, fried pickles.
Tyler:Fried pickles.
Heidi:Yeah. So remember last year at the end of the semester or at the end of this past spring semester, they had little forms that was like, oh, write down recommendations for what food you You
Tyler:just wrote down
Heidi:fried pickles a thousand times? Yeah, maybe close to a thousand. I would say at least 50 slips I put in there saying fried pickles. I'm not joking.
Tyler:And they didn't even Are you serious? Oh, my gosh.
Heidi:And they didn't do anything?
Tyler:And they didn't do it. No. That's so easy to make, too. Right? Wow.
Tyler:Okay, maybe wait. It's like sliced pickles.
Heidi:No. Well, the spears are better, but any kind of fried pickles, a good fried pickle.
Tyler:I was just thinking like a massive pickle deep fried. I'm like, that doesn't sound good.
Heidi:Oh, no. Well, it's either like speared or like what the slice, the chips. Yeah.
Tyler:The chips. Yeah. Okay. Well, maybe they'll if whoever runs the commons, if you're seeing this, you should put fried pickles on the menu. Please.
Tyler:Alright. Is there any shout outs you wanna give? Like parents, siblings, people in Well,
Heidi:yeah. Shout out to my parents. Thank you for supporting me through all my band journey. And then shout out to the KSU Marching Owls, most importantly. Thank you for all your love and support in my first year as drum major, and I am really excited for next not semester, next season.
Heidi:And yeah. Hoodie who. Go Owls. Hoodie who. Alright.
Tyler:Thank you for watching. We can look at that thing. Thank you for watching, and bye.
Ya ya:Bye.
Tyler:Have a nice day.
