| The University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band | |
|---|---|
| School | University of Florida |
| Location | Gainesville, FL |
| Conference | SEC |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Director | John M. Watkins, Jr. |
| Members | 325 [1] |
| Uniform | Blue shako with white plume, half white and half blue jacket, white or blue pants (director's choice, both are used equally), white shoes, white gloves |
The University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band, also known as The Pride of the Sunshine, is the official marching band for the University of Florida. They play at every Florida Gators home football game in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and also performs at various other events such as pep rallies, parades, and the annual Orange and Blue Spring Scrimmage game. A full band usually travels to one away game a year while at other games a small/medium sized pep band will attend. Members of the Gator Band, as well as other University of Florida students, are encouraged to join other ensembles such as concert band, jazz band, basketball band, and volleyball band. The majorettes (twirlers) for the marching band are called the Gatorettes.[2]
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The first band at the University of Florida was founded by "Pug" Hamilton in 1914. It had 16 members and was called "The Cadet Band". The first band office was in Anderson Hall and the first band room was in the Women's Gymnasium. The first woman in Gator Band was Sophy Mae Mitchell of Sebring, Florida in 1948. After marching with the banner in her first year in the band, Mitchell was invited back to play the Belle Lyre for the remainder of her college career. She frequently returns to the Alumni Band games as well as over one hundred other Gator Band alumni. In 1972 Gator Band was featured at the opening of Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. In 1997 Gator Band participated in the Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary Celebration.
The Steinbrenner Band Hall at the University of Florida was made possible by a generous gift from George Steinbrenner and his wife Joan in 2002. The facility was completed in 2008[1] and houses the Stephen Stills Band Rehearsal Room in addition to offices, instrument storage, the band library and an instrument issue room.[2]
MUN1110 and MUN 3110 is a performance course designed to improve individual marching and playing skills, to develop sight-reading skills, to improve the individual’s grasp of the essential elements of music and to assist the student in the personal and professional growth and development necessary for successful post-baccalaureate life. Additionally, this course will provide weekly live performance opportunities for the entire ensemble. It is the focus of this course to make these performances represent the highest level of artistic and aesthetic experience. Further, it is the goal of the Gator Band to provide entertaining halftime shows, and to provide energy and spirit at all events at which the Gator Band performs. Due to the highly visible nature of these performances, participation in all rehearsals and performances is pivotal to the success of the ensemble. Class meets Monday (6:15pm–8:10pm), Tuesday (4:05pm–6:00pm), Thursday (4:05pm–6:00pm), and Friday (4:05pm–6:00pm, for home games only) every week. Though it does not cost anything to join the band, you must have the appropriate uniform. Uniforms rental is free. The band also rehearses on the morning of a home game.
As soon as the field is clear the band marches into the Swamp from the entrance tunnel in a pregame block. They take the field opening to the Gator Chomp, while the Voice of the Gator Band, Gerre Reynolds, announces their entrance.
Gator Band Entrance
From the Fanfare Block the band plays the Fanfare and takes Orange and Blue down the field, then forms the block "F." Starting "Men of Florida," they move into their ceremonial set, and in 2006 formed a 100 commemorating 100 years of Gator Football. From 2007 to present, the ceremonial set has been a state of Florida. From there they play the Star Spangled Banner and the University of Florida's Alma Mater.
UF Pregame to this point
Finishing the Star Spangled Banner, the band plays We Are the Boys March to enter into the Gator Spellout preset. Next they play Gimmie a 'G' while they spell out 'Gators.' Then they play Orange and Blue and Suwannee to take 'Gators' down the field into the UF tunnel from which the team enters.
Second half of UF Pregame
In the stands, the band plays a large number of school songs. The band plays Gator Chomp, Gator Bait, and Gator Maximus at various points in the game while the team is on defense, and Let's Go Gators, Orange and Blue First Down, and Go Gators while the team is on offense, among other various songs. Songs like You Can Call Me Al and Hey, Baby are crowd favorites.
Perhaps the most well known tradition of the Gator Band is the playing of We are the Boys at the conclusion of every third quarter. Beginning with a short intro, the band sets the whole crowd into a swaying motion starting with the first words.
One of the newest traditions was started by Florida head coach Urban Meyer in 2005. After every game where the Gators win he walks over with the team and the team, band, and fans sing the Alma Mater and the fight song together and Urban Meyer shakes the director's hand.
Alma Mater and Orange and Blue
The Gator Alumni Band performs during one of the home halftime shows every year and consists of a volunteer group of former members of the Pride of the Sunshine who perform a short segment of the halftime show. The alumni band is most well known for the "Biggest Boom in Dixie", a very large bass drum that is carted onto the field during the show. At some games, mascots Albert and Alberta have played the drum as well.
The Gatorettes are the baton-twirlers of The Pride of the Sunshine, and they perform acrobatics, cartwheels, and flips, and sometimes twirl multiple batons at one time.[3] Their current director is June Stoeber, and under her direction the Gatorettes have won 5 national collegiate titles.[4]
The Gatorettes perform at Florida Gators football half-time shows, and they also compete at national events. In 2002, they won three NBTA national titles. In 2008, they also won two NBTA national titles as well. In 201,1 they won a NBTA national title.[5][6]
The Alpha Eta chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi has been providing service to the University of Florida band programs since 1931. The Alpha Eta brothers have issued, cleaned and organized the uniforms and are currently responsible for providing water during rehearsals, setting orange cones for practice, cleaning the field, and distributing Gatorade on Gamedays. Since its installation, the Alpha Eta chapter has crossed over 1,000 members into the organization, including women in recent years.
The Beta Xi chapter of Tau Beta Sigma provides service to the Gator Bands, including the Pride of the Sunshine. The Beta Xi sisters currently help the UF marching band by preparing the practice field and selling garment bags to help protect the marching band uniform. Hundreds of dedicated bandswomen have become sisters of the Beta Xi chapter since the chapter was installed April 12, 1958. In the Spring of 2004, the first male sisters were initiated into the chapter. The sisters of Beta Xi have also extended an honorary invitation to dozens of outstanding individuals of the Gator Band, including previous directors and graduate students. In 1999, the chapter initiated Sophy Mae Mitchell, one of the first group of women to join the Pride of the Sunshine and a founding member of the club which later became the Beta Xi chapter.
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