Dear Editor,
I was with the ETSU marching band from 1997-2000. I was in the drumline and really enjoyed performing during the games. I am as big as a football fan as you will find these days and I would love to see ETSU bring it back.
I am also a big Philadelphia Eagles fan and noticed even Ron Jaworski (when he came into Johnson City during the “Souper Bowl” charity event) thought ETSU dropped the ball (pun intended) when they dropped the program.
I know there are obstacles, I also know football is a great thing for the university to have on their side.
I have preached at my workplace the last few years about how the absence of football has affected a lot of things by a domino effect. The music programs at ETSU are not what they used to be – -very good mostly, but again, not what they used to be.
I know excellent musicians that would rather go to an institution that offers football because there will be a marching band there.
With that said, the result of this train of thought is the other musical ensembles suffer because they won’t benefit from the talent pool that a marching band provides.
Look at the numbers. Enrollment in the music programs is way down at ETSU these days. I only know this and care because I keep in touch with people who are still there.
Additionally, the lack of a marching band has cost ETSU and the area the privilege of Bands of America regional event, a big moneymaker and a really, really big deal to a lot of premier high school music programs.
Dobyns Bennett, Science Hill, Daniel Boone and Elizabethton schools were all local bands that had the opportunity to compete in this.
I was lucky enough to do so twice during my high school years but, once again, this is now lost thanks in part to the absence of football and a marching band.
Maybe one day we can hear “Tennessee Waltz” in the Mini-Dome again. Bring it back!
-Jon Wilcox

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