When Amanda Killebrew decided to join the Ball State University marching band, her decisions were based on previous experience with her high school band and her curiosity of what Ball State's band had to offer her.
Killebrew liked what she was a part of and has continued with it. She is now starting her third year being a part of the Pride of Mid-America - Ball State's marching band - and is one of the three drum majors for the band.
The band program at Ball State serves to support the football team and athletics, playing music throughout parts of the game from the stands and perform during halftime.
"We play fun music to get [students] pumped up, so our teams are pumped up," Killebrew said.
Students go through a rigorous band camp, which runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day the week before classes start in August. The drum majors meet with the section leaders for a two-day camp prior to all members joining for band camp.
During camp the students learn the marching techniques that are used at Ball State. They also learn rehearsal techniques, which are what the director, drum majors and section leaders expect from the band members, Killebrew said.
Color guard captain Tim Patton said the color guard learns its pregame show during the week of band camp. He is responsible for choreographing for the halftime shows and teaching his techniques. Because the students perform a new show at almost every home game, they must learn new music, new routines and new drills - the forms they create on the field - that go with a theme the band director and students select for that game.
For the Homecoming performance, students will perform a halftime show that revolves around the idea of TV cartoon families.
The band will perform music from "Johnny Quest," "American Dad," "Family Guy," "The Simpsons" and "The Jetsons."
"Sometimes we only have a couple of weeks to do it all, so it's stressful," Patton said. "I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it, though."
As far as responsibilities go, Jessica Rench, an alto saxophone section leader, said she has many.
"I am to take attendance of my section, lead sectionals where we practice to better improve and memorize the pieces that we are going to perform, give guidance on the field when needed and be helpful whenever possible," Rench said.
Drum major Elliot Lentz said the drum majors are in charge of assisting the band director, conducting the band on the field for pregame and halftime and conducting the band in the stands during the game.
"We are pretty much an undergrad and grad student at the same time," he said.
The ideas for the theme and music the band performs come from student input. Killebrew said Dan Kalantarian, the band director, has a place on the band Web site for students to submit ideas for shows at the end of the school year. Those ideas aid him in his selection of music and themes for the shows.
The band has two big traditions they carry out at the end of practices and games. Killebrew said their dismissals include a returning member being selected to lead a chant.
"The person says, 'Who are we?' and we say, 'Ball State,'" she said. "The person says, 'What do we have?' 'Pride.' The person says, 'Let's go. Let's go,' and we say, 'Let's go Ball U.'"
Lentz said the band also sings the alma mater before leaving the football stadium after games.
Because the band serves the Ball State students and athletes, the band members find enjoyment in the student response during their performances, Killebrew said.
When the band put a "BSU" formation on the field and then turned it toward the student section this season, she said the crowd went wild.
"They really like when we perform to them and not just to the press box," she said. "They get pumped up and excited whenever we cater to them."
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