You may remember the 2002 Notre Dame-Florida State game. It was perhaps one of the best Notre Dame football/band experiences that we have ever had. For 60 minutes, the team, the band and the Irish faithful in attendance worked together to electrify an opponent's stadium and create a "home field advantage" 950 miles away from South Bend. It was a huge victory for the football team, the band and the whole student body.
In order to make the Florida State trip a reality, the band members had to return from Fall Break early, ride buses for over 40 hours, and eventually return to Notre Dame late on the Sunday before classes. It was not easy to fund or plan this trip, but it was well worth it for both the team and the band. This trip became a reality only through the efforts of people in Student Affairs, Development and generous band supporters.
For a number of years, the band has normally attended two away football games during the regular season. As you can imagine, it's costly to undertake such trips, so these trips have generally been to places where the band could travel out and back on the same day. Due to the visibility and importance of the Tennessee game, it was decided this past summer the band would focus all of its regularly allotted resources to take a two-day trip to support the team in Knoxville, Tenn., voluntarily forfeiting its ability to travel to another game this year. We hope to help create the same electric atmosphere in Knoxville that was generated two years ago in Tallahassee, Fla.
Thank you for your enthusiastic support of the band. We want to provide the extra "edge" that allows our student-athletes to perform to the best of their ability. This is the best student body in the land, and it is our pleasure to motivate, inspire and cheer Notre Dame on to victory.
Go Irish!
Ken Dye
Band Director
Sept. 30
