Gilmer Buckeye Band battles heat while preparing for Friday night football
GILMER, Texas — While football teams are gearing up for a new season, the Gilmer Buckeye Band is also hard at work preparing for Friday nights, even as triple-digit temperatures blanket East Texas.KTBS 3 contributor Bethany Nolan visited with Gilmer Buckeye Band Director Brandon Garmon to get a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation that goes into the band's award-winning performances.Garmon said rehearsals begin long before the school year starts, with student leaders and upperclassmen returning shortly after the Fourth of July to begin training and learning music before moving to full marching rehearsals in August.As temperatures rise, the band has adjusted its schedule to prioritize student safety. Garmon said staff members closely monitor wet bulb globe temperatures, a measurement used to assess heat stress risk, and keep students indoors during the hottest parts of the day.“We're watching the wet bulb globe temperature, watching the forecast more, and then once it's safe for our students to get out, usually that's 6 a.m., we take the students out, adding some extra water breaks to make sure that everybody stays safe,” Garmon said.The Buckeye Band plays a major role in the game-day atmosphere at Gilmer football games, working alongside cheerleaders, drill team members and fans to create the excitement that has become a staple of Friday nights in East Texas.“One of the top places to attend a Friday night game in the state of Texas is right here in Gilmer, Texas,” Garmon said. “The Buckeye Band has been the soundtrack for a lot of state championships and big wins for many years here in Gilmer.”As the band prepares to defend its championship title, members continue putting in the work behind the scenes, proving that Friday night is about more than just football.
GILMER, Texas — While football teams are gearing up for a new season, the Gilmer Buckeye Band is also hard at work preparing for Friday nights, even as triple-digit temperatures blanket East Texas.
KTBS 3 contributor Bethany Nolan visited with Gilmer Buckeye Band Director Brandon Garmon to get a behind-the-scenes look at the preparation that goes into the band's award-winning performances.
Garmon said rehearsals begin long before the school year starts, with student leaders and upperclassmen returning shortly after the Fourth of July to begin training and learning music before moving to full marching rehearsals in August.
As temperatures rise, the band has adjusted its schedule to prioritize student safety. Garmon said staff members closely monitor wet bulb globe temperatures, a measurement used to assess heat stress risk, and keep students indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
“We're watching the wet bulb globe temperature, watching the forecast more, and then once it's safe for our students to get out, usually that's 6 a.m., we take the students out, adding some extra water breaks to make sure that everybody stays safe,” Garmon said.
The Buckeye Band plays a major role in the game-day atmosphere at Gilmer football games, working alongside cheerleaders, drill team members and fans to create the excitement that has become a staple of Friday nights in East Texas.
“One of the top places to attend a Friday night game in the state of Texas is right here in Gilmer, Texas,” Garmon said. “The Buckeye Band has been the soundtrack for a lot of state championships and big wins for many years here in Gilmer.”
As the band prepares to defend its championship title, members continue putting in the work behind the scenes, proving that Friday night is about more than just football.