SHELBY – Steve Peebles stepped onto W.W. Skiles Field, a snare drum hanging at his waist on a khaki strap.
It had been almost 60 years since the Shelby High School graduate stepped onto the field to perform with the Whippet Marching Band.
“I figured I’d just pick these sticks up after all these 60 years,” he said. “I had to practice quite a little bit and I had to work on my memorization.”
Peebles was surrounded by musicians Thursday night as alumni joined current band members for a rehearsal ahead of Friday night’s football game.
Shelby’s season opener will be a bittersweet experience for students and alumni alike, as the community says goodbye to its longtime venue. The Whippets will host the Madison Rams for the historic stadium’s finale, then move to the new $4 million athletic complex near the high school to play Bellevue in Week Three.
“It is going to be a crazy game,” said Casey McCall, band director for the Whippets. “It’s just great to see everyone come back for this, to celebrate all the memories of Skiles.”
Nearly 120 alumni musicians, flag core members and majorettes will join the band for the halftime show. Alumni football players and cheerleaders will also be part of the farewell festivities.
Band alumna Mary Louise Herman said the turnout far exceeds other alumni band events.
“There’s so many. Usually when we do this there aren’t near the number of people,” said Herman, a 1963 graduate.
“I’m excited for tomorrow. It’s gonna be fun.”
Herman, a clarinet player, is proof that friendships forged in the marching band can last a lifetime.
“All my friends in high school were in the band,” she said. “One of my best friends is coming to do this as well. When we step on the field tomorrow night, it will be 60 years since our senior year.”
Herman’s two sons, Scott and Gary, are also playing with the band.
Gary leaned against the chain link fence and watched as the current students rehearsed the halftime opening number. A silver trumpet, the same one he played in high school, dangled from his hand.
His daughter Brooke now plays trumpet in the Shelby Whippet band. Sometimes, she practices on his old instrument.
“There’s not too many opportunities to play at the same time,” said Gary, who went on to play with the Ohio State University marching band after graduating from Shelby.
McCall said the students haven’t had as much practice time as in previous school years, due to the delayed start of the school year.
Nevertheless, they’ve risen to the challenge.
“We’re used to being all together five days a week at this point,” McCall said. “The kids are working really hard. It’s hard to get it together with less time, but they’re really pulling through.”
McCall will direct the Shelby Whippet marching band’s first halftime song, then hand it off to Bryan Day and Jack Gray, who will each take turns directing a song.
Day spent 20 years as a band director in the district. Gray served as the high school band’s associate director from 1970 to 1983 and head director until 2000.
Peebles, who served as an assistant director for the Shelby Whippet band before becoming an elementary principal, said he could have been one of the guest directors for Friday night’s halftime show at Skiles Field, but he turned it down.
“I want to march,” said Peebles, a 1962 graduate of Shelby High School. “I want to be out here with the kids playing some music.”
Peebles began his marching band career at Tiro High School. He open-enrolled to Shelby for his junior and senior year so he could be a part of the Shelby Whippet Marching Band.
“That set me up to get into the Ohio State band, I’m sure of it,” he said.
While the stadium at Skiles Field is full of happy memories, previous directors and alumni said they understand the necessity of a new stadium.
“All good things must come to an end,” Gray said. “I think they’re doing it the right way by having a nice send-off.”
Lisa Baker, who helped organize the return of the alumni band, agreed.
“I spent my whole career on Skiles Field,” said Baker, associate band director from 1985 to 2015. “But it’s always fun to look ahead and look forward to new memories and new traditions.”
