I attended the Cal Poly women’s volleyball game Friday night to see the team take on the CSU Northridge Matadors. I knew it would be a close and exciting game–the two teams were competing for seventh place out of nine in the Big West Conference, and the Matadors had a half-game lead.
As I entered Mott Gym, I noticed a couple of things. First, there were a ton of empty seats on the bleachers. Come on, people, if we can get 9,824 fans to pack into the stadium for the Cal Poly v. UCSB soccer game on a Wednesday night, I’m pretty sure a Friday night merits more than the 300 (if that) who attended.
The second thing I noticed, beyond what was occurring on the court, was who was cheering. No, not the Cal Poly cheerleaders or dance team, though they attend quite a few other games each season. It was “The Pride of the Pacific,” the Cal Poly Pep Band.
Outfitted in green and gold shirts and taking up their usual section of the gym bleachers, about 30 band members were there to support the volleyball team. Whenever they weren’t playing their instruments, they were cheering their lungs out for the women on the court.
Christopher Woodruff, a music lecturer, said the band members go to add energy to the games with music.
The athletes work really hard to compete, and we’re there to support them, he said.
“It’s the band thing and it’s a sport thing put together,” he said.
The students really enjoy the music aspect of it, he said, but they also enjoy the time to socialize.
The band plays at all men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball home games as well as at home football games. They also travel to one away football game and to the Big West Conference games for women’s and men’s basketball. During fall, they rehearse twice a week and meet at least an hour before each game, three hours before football games. For those interested, auditions are at end of fall or beginning of winter. Contact the band directors via this Web site.
So band members, kudos for coming out and supporting athletes like the volleyball team, who beat CSU Northridge 3-0 Nov. 20, 25-18, 25-17, 25-21. I and I’m sure others out there who can’t make it to every game are glad someone is there to root for the home team.