Anticipating the blinding lights and the screaming crowd ofalmost 60,000 fans, the Ball State University Pride of Mid-Americastood uniform-to-uniform, pompom-to-pompom in the entrance tunnelto the RCA dome.
At the short tweet of their director's whistle, thesequin-covered performers stormed out of the tunnel and onto thefield at a sprint - tubas, cymbals and all.
The Ball State band, flag line and Cardette dance team performedat the halftime show during the first Indianapolis Colts home gameagainst the Green Bay Packers Sunday.
Christian Zembower, assistant director of bands, said theentertainment director for the Colts called him after the scheduledhalftime performers canceled with short notice.
"We found out about a week and a half ago," Zembower said. "Theydropped out and he thought of us."
Despite the short notice, head drum major Wesley Schulz said itwas an incredible way to represent Ball State.
"When you get an offer like this, you just have to take it,"Schulz said. "Ball State doesn't often get the chance to perform infront of 60,000 people."
The band experienced a few snags, but overall, it was a goodshowing, Zembower said.
"Half the band missed the beginning of the third song," Zembowersaid. "No one could hear because of the roar from the crowd.Luckily, they were on top of their game and caught up."
Junior percussionist Brian Notess said the band had to adaptquickly to the hash marks on the field. The hash marks, which areguidelines for the band's formations, are closer to the center onNFL fields than they are on college fields, Notess said. He alsosaid the group experienced another interesting surprise.
"The packers ran onto the field in the middle of our last song,"Notess said. "I didn't know where to go."
The performance took turns featuring each section of The Prideof Mid America - from the band, to the flags, to the dancers.
Cardette dancer Nicole Wilson said she was so nervous she didn'twant to go out onto the field.
"It was crazy when they opened up the doors and we saw all thosepeople," Wilson said, "but as soon as the music started, it wasawesome."
Cardette Tricia Holzbog said dancing at the RCA dome was a lotdifferent from dancing on an outdoor football field.
"Our jumps were higher today because the floor was bouncy,"Holzbog said. "When I ran out for our number and turned around, Isaw 'The Pride of Mid America' flashing up on the giantscreen."
Drum major Andy Schultz said the experience was also differentfor the band.
"With the roof overhead, it was hard to hear over the echo,"Schultz said. "You can't listen to the music around you, because bythe time you hear it, the sound will be a few seconds old. You haveto trust what you see instead of what you hear."
The crowd roared once again as The Pride of Mid-America left thefield blaring the Ball State fight song as they disappeared backinto the tunnel.
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