LUCAS — All eyes are routinely on the football team during Friday night’s game. But more than a few of those eyes were focused on the field before the regular-season finale when Lucas High School honored its band and Alumni.
It was a great turnout and a fun evening for the Lucas community.
The band pre-show event brought in at least 19 alumni and a couple of seventh graders. At such a small school, the Lucas marching band consists of band years eighth through 12th grade.
The oldest band member is a sophomore, four are freshmen, and the youngest is an eighth grader. This makes them a noticeably smaller band than most.
While the Lucas band is small, it does not affect their members’ skill, passion, or teamwork.
“We were known around a lot of the other bands to be small but fierce,” 2017 alumnus Christopher Luke stated.
“Our band is very close because of how small we are, and we have many inside jokes. What happens in band stays in the band,” said Eleanore Hecker, a freshman and member of the Lucas marching band.
Like all bands, they have brave and hardworking members who perform. Two of the members are also cheerleaders. In previous years, it’s been common to see a football player participating with his instrument.
Hecker stated freshman Sydney Nichols just joined a couple weeks ago but has done a tremendous job meshing with the group.
Nichols shared that while she has only been in the band for a couple weeks she has been around everyone since kindergarten so they have always felt like family to her.
“I enjoy being in marching band because I love the challenge of music, the confidence I get from playing, and the friendships I’ve made because of it,” Hecker said.
She stated that most of her siblings were either in marching band or color guard, so she is happy to continue the tradition. The trumpet she uses happens to be her dad’s from when he was in the band.
“I joined last year because of my siblings. I joined this year because I love it, especially performing in front of people,” Hecker shared. “Our uniforms are the best, more comfortable than I had thought. I’ve even grown to like the fluffy plumes!”
Taylor Allen, who graduated in 2018, shared her experience in the Lucas color guard and how it has stayed with her today.
Allen and Luke are high school sweethearts, now going nine years strong, all thanks to Lucas’ band and color guard she said.
Just like Hecker, the Allen family has a long line of Lucas band and color guard members as well. Taylor participated in the alumni event alongside her mother, brother, and high school sweetheart.
Christine Allen, Class of 1982, played the trumpet for the Lucas band.
Christine was excited to participate with her daughter and son. As well as reflecting on her time in the Lucas band and the heartwarming memories she holds to this day.
“I have got lifelong friends. We started band in fifth and sixth grade and were friends through our senior year,” she said.
Christine noted a lot of her favorite songs to play and dance to were always the Halloween tunes — they allow the freedom to be creative and creepy.
“The dancing songs were fun where we could get out there and be goofs,” she chuckled.
Alumni and current band members agreed that it was a beautiful evening and fun to reconnect with old faces and cheer on the new members who are keeping the Lucas band strong.