Less than a minute to go… Gents are down by a basket... The Pep Band is playing in the background as the crowd springs to its feet. People are screaming, feet are stomping, bleachers are rattling; the noise is deafening. Enthusiasm is at its highest, and the team feeds off of the crowd's energy. Where does all of this mad, primordial energy come from? The game, the close score? These two factors definitely create tension and hold the crowd's attention, but the Centenary Pep Band takes that interest and makes it into a unified, enthusiastic show of support for the team.

Although Centenary had a pep band many years ago, the present organization is just entering its second year. Hurley School Of Music professor Tom Stone and senior music major Carlos Garcia started talking about the idea early last year. Last fall, when Garcia was president of the college for a day, he had a chance to discuss the idea with Russ Sharp, Athletic Director, who immediately got behind the plan. By the middle of basketball season, a pep band had been formed.

The twenty to twenty-five member student ensemble plays at all Gent basketball home games. In addition to playing for twenty minutes before the game, during all time outs, and for a portion of half time, the group also works with the Leading Ladies, Centenary's dance team. The Ladies dance on the sidelines while the band plays, and the band members often participate in the dancers’ cheers. Both groups work together to build the crowd’s enthusiasm.

This year's Pep Band will make its debut at Halloween Hoopla (October 31), along with the 1996-97 Gent Basketball team. Kari Johnson, a trumpet player in the group, says that the Pep Band tries to focus on three goals: getting the crowd and the team enthusiastic about the game, drawing bigger crowds to the games, and having fun. This last reason explains why the group is conducted by a student, Garcia. Since Pep Band is a student-affiliated organization, rather than a class, the participants really want to be there. Their enthusiasm and energy expresses itself through their music. The Pep Band does energize the crowd, and that makes the games more fun.

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