Ripon College Days

Ripon College Red Hawk football fans may have noticed the blaring horns and booming drums over the sound of crashing helmets during football games. This musical treat was courtesy of the newly-formed Ripon College Pep Band, who is now looking to become an officially-recognized Student Senate organization.

Senior Stephanie Motzel and her fellow pep band members have made the first few steps to becoming a full-fledged organization. Motzel presented the pep band's constitution to Student Senate Wednesday, Nov. 30. After reviewing the constitution, Senate voted unanimously in favor of it.

The first difference the pep band hopes to make is to play at more Ripon College athletic events.

"This semester, so far, we have only played at the homecoming football game, and senior day, which is the last home football game of the season," says Motzel, who conducts the ensemble. "We hope to begin playing at the basketball games, but there are not many home games before the end of the semester."

Junior Trevor Bellrichard, who plays trombone in the ensemble, believes becoming a Senate-recognized student organization will also help bring the pep band to the next level.

"The music that we have now is really outdated. We have a few standards, 'Louie Louie,' 'The Hey Song,' but most are songs no one under 45 has ever heard of before," says Bellrichard. "So as a student organization, we could have more money at our disposal to get charts that the kids now-a-days listen to," he says.

Motzel notes the Ripon College Pep Band should not need to ask Senate for too much financial assistance, however.

For the most part, all members of the band will be required to provide their own instruments. However, the band is missing a drum set. For the few appearances which they have made so far the band borrowed drums from the music department.

"The drum set runs about $800. Besides [that] we also are asking Senate for money to purchase a mellophone and three flute lyres," says Motzel.

If Senate approves the constitution again tonight, the Ripon College Pep Band will officially be a recognized student organization. With Senate's blessing, and more funding, the ensemble, which currently has approximately 12 members, hopes to attract more student musicians to the group.

Bellrichard exclaims, "I would love to see a giant pep band. It is literally impossible to have too many players. As many as possible."

He adds, "Ideally, I hope that many members from not only the music department, but also those who [simply] play instruments here at Ripon will join."

Motzel is also excited for the Ripon College Pep band."I am excited for this group. It is going to be fun, but I am scared of making people commit to it," she says. "I want it to be free, rather than cut and dry. I am trying to make it fun for all students."

Hopeful of support from the Ripon College Student Senate she adds, "This is going to be a fun organization. It will be fun for students involved as well as for those people who see us perform."

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